Taming Bella
by quibbler149
Summary: Lucius is lusting after Narcissa. There's just one catch, she's not allowed to date before her surly elder sister, Bellatrix, has. So Lucius employs the help of the school bad-boy Rodolphus Lestrange. Based on 10 Things I Hate About You.
1. Welcome to Hogwarts

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah. _

Chapter One:

Lucius stepped backwards to the great doors leading into the foyer. He couldn't believe just how big this castle was! As a new transfer student from Durmstrang, he readily admitted that Hogwarts was far finer. Nodding his head appraisingly, he gazed curiously around, wondering just how many secrets he had yet to uncover. In his visual pursuit for more of the magnificent architecture, he accidentally bumped into something.

Hurriedly, Lucius turned around and immediately straightened once he saw that a kindly looking old man was beaming at him with a somewhat disconcerting smile.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy. I trust you are enjoying Hogwarts so far?"

Lucius blinked twice before dipping his head in a nod. Just who was this strange man?

Before his question was answered, a witch came rushing towards them. "Headmaster! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" The woman spoke in gasps, attempting to catch her breath. She spared a glance at Lucius. "Young man, why aren't you in class?" Her eyes widened when she noticed his apparel. "Why are you not dressed in the accurate school attire?"

The old man stepped in. "Minerva, really. If you continue to interrogate our students like so, I am sure they will all be frightened away. This is Mr. Malfoy. He has just transferred from Durmstrang. I have not yet sorted him and there hasn't been any time for him to change into school attire. Kindly cease scolding him as of yet." Resuming that disconcerting smile once more, he turned to face Lucius. "Mr. Malfoy, I am Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of this fine school. On behalf of everyone here, I welcome you to Hogwarts."

Lucius gave a quick half-bow hesitantly; secretly thanking his stars he had not uttered any impropriety in front of the Headmaster. Before he knew it, he was dragged by the witch by the arm towards a series of twists and turns that confused him beyond belief. It seemed that classes were still in session for the corridors were empty and his footsteps echoed gloomily into the silence.

After being shoved roughly into a cluttered room, the witch disappeared. Lucius was left to his own devices temporarily. Just as he was about to explore the room, the witch returned with a hideous looking hat. She beckoned for Lucius to sit upon a nearby stool. As he did so, she leaned over to prop the disgusting article on his head. Lucius immediately objected, but his objection was ignored.

He sat there quite disgruntled, wondering about his father's decision to transfer him to Hogwarts. If there were such strange practices in Hogwarts, maybe he should have just stayed at his previous school. His thoughts were interrupted by another voice. "Ah, not paying too much attention, I see."

Lucius jumped. He whipped his head around, but there was only the witch who was not showing too much interest at all. "No, no. You're not going insane. I'm the Sorting Hat. I'm to sort you into your house." The _hat_ seemed to be talking to him. Lucius swallowed and swiveled his eyes from side to side.

"Not too happy to have your mind examined by me? Well, I guess I can't blame you. You might feel violated of sorts. Hmm… let me see, let me see. Which house to place you in, my dear young fellow? I suppose it better be SLYTHERIN!" At this, the hat rose to a roar and the witch swept forwards to wipe the hat off Lucius' head. He continued to sit on the stool, not quite sure what had happened.

After that, all seemed like a haze. All he could remember was more corridors and a series of actions which led him to be garbed in the correct school uniform (now emblazoned with a green symbol of a snake). Then, he was hustled into another cluttered room filled with trinkets and empty sweet boxes. In the middle of the garbage sat a fat little man. He was sucking his chubby fingers. Lucius wrinkled his nose in distaste. If this was a professor, he really wouldn't be able to respect any of them.

The witch that had been with him through his sorting called out in a brisk tone, "Horace! Horace, for Merlin's sake, stop chewing your sweets for a minute and listen!" The fat man reluctantly pushed aside a semi-full box and leaned towards the witch. "What is it now, Minerva?"

'Minerva' sighed. "Horace, this is Lucius Malfoy, a new transfer student from Durmstrang. He was just sorted into Slytherin. Seeing as you're the Head of that particular house, I thought maybe you would like to uphold your responsibilities and get him settled in?" The fat man was now eyeing Lucius with a lot more interest than he had previously. "A Malfoy, eh? Well, that's really quite lovely…"

"HORACE!" barked the witch. The fat man snapped his gaze back to the witch. "Oh yes, yes. Minerva. I'll get him settled in. Don't worry about a thing." The witch closed her eyes for a few seconds before pivoting and sliding out the room smoothly. The fat man smiled at Lucius. "Well, Lucius, was it? I'm Professor Slughorn, the Head of Slytherin house. I hope you like Hogwarts so far?" Lucius bit back his reply of "No, you disgust me too much" and instead forced himself to nod politely.

Just then, the bell rang and what sounded like a stampede of cattle rampaged outside the room. A little bewildered, Lucius stepped further away from the quivering door. Slughorn stood up, the floorboards creaking slightly underneath his weight. The door of the room opened abruptly and a young, pale, oily looking boy stumbled inside. Slughorn grinned (a sight most unpleasant).

"Severus! Just the man I need!"

The oily boy frowned and stared at Lucius. Lucius stared back. A Malfoy never lost to _anything_. Slughorn's booming voice jolted them back from their mental battle. "Severus, this is Lucius Malfoy, a new transfer from Durmstrang. Would you kindly take him and, er, familiarize him with Hogwarts? Give him the password to the Common Room. I believe he's in the same dorm as you."

Severus glared at Slughorn for a moment before replying, "Yes, Professor" in an oily voice that matched his hair. He sniffed and turned to leave. Lucius assumed this was his cue to follow and trailed behind Severus stiffly. The stampede had subsided somewhat and the corridors were now only holding trickles of students swarming their way towards their next class. Lucius could only suppose that Severus was excused to his next class due to having to show him around.

Without paying attention, Lucius suddenly found himself nearly running into a large hole leading into what seemed like an extremely large lounge. Severus was impatiently waiting on the other side. "Well, are you coming or not?"

Lucius quickly strode through. Behind him, something automatically snapped shut. "This is the common room for Slytherin" drawled Severus. "The dorms are this way. Please follow me." Without a backwards look, Severus mounted some stairs looming towards the left. Lucius followed once again.

The dorms were not much larger than those at Durmstrang. Lucius noted his luggage was placed at the head of a neatly made bed. There were three other beds, but only two seemed to be lived in. If Severus occupied one bed, then who was his other roommate? Lucius felt too lazy to ask and instead sat down on the bed his luggage was at.

"Look, are you planning on festering here all day or do you want to see some more of the castle. I have lots of work to do and if you no longer require my service I think I would rather like to leave now." Severus spoke towards the door, not bothering to even look at Lucius.

Lucius felt a twinge of annoyance. How dare he speak to a Malfoy like that? As much as he would have preferred abandoning the presence of the surly boy, there wasn't much else he could have done. Exploring the castle (even if it was with Severus) seemed like the best option. He stood up and motioned towards the door. Severus ignored him, but barged out.

After a long afternoon of introducing himself to his new home for the term and thoroughly memorizing the different blocks and buildings, Lucius realised there wasn't anything particular about Hogwarts at all. A little disappointed, he slumped onto the grass beside the lake and raised his head to the sky. Beside him, Severus also sank to the green. Then, the bell rang once more and the same stampede seemed to occur inside. Students began spilling out from the doors, their chatter shattering Lucius' peace. He opened his eyes in irritation.

In the sunshine, he did not know what had hit him, but a cloud of silver gold flashed his vision. He leaned forwards. There was a blonde goddess laughing in the afternoon weather, her glittering hair blinding him and her laughter twinkling in his ears. Without helping it, Lucius smiled. It was mesmerizing to watch her. She was so beautiful.

"You can't have her."

Lucius turned his head back towards a yawning Severus. "Why not? What do you know about her?"

Severus gave a bitter smile. "Every guy in the school lusts after her. Well, the straight ones anyway. Her name is Narcissa Black. A fourth-year." Lucius pondered her last name. Black… It was a name worth recognizing. Her blood was pure enough and her family wealthy enough for him. He smirked. They were a match made in heaven. Then, he remembered what Severus had said. "Why can't I have her?"

"Do you really wish to know?"

"What do you think?"

"Your answer is approaching."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you mentally incapable or something? Why do you ask so many bloody questions?"

Lucius gritted his teeth. If Severus didn't watch out, he might be involved in a nasty accident. At this moment, he noticed a sulky looking girl joining his goddess. Instantly, Lucius was struck by the contrast between the two girls. If Narcissa was light, then the other was darkness. "Severus, do you mean that sullen girl beside her?"

Severus gave him a look. "That 'sullen girl' is Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix."

Lucius froze. That was her sister? Well, certainly the two girls were different, but how would Bellatrix be a problem? He voiced this query aloud. Severus sat up. "Well, their father has refused the allowance of his two younger daughters to enter a relationship until the eldest has found a boyfriend."

"Two younger daughters?"

Severus motioned towards the girl sitting on the other side of Narcissa. "That one, Andromeda. She's the middle daughter. I don't really hear about her a lot. Her two sisters are more famous. She's only recognized because of her last name."

Andromeda was a plain and dull looking girl. Well, she was pretty in her own right, but compared to Narcissa's unfazing beauty and Bellatix's dark danger, she was too ordinary. Anyone could have easily missed that brown-haired girl loitering at the edge of the conversation. Lucius twisted back towards Severus for the umpteenth time. "That's strange, they don't look anything alike." The eldest was dark-haired with heavily lidded eyes and a protective layer of clothing closeting her in what seemed like a burlap sack. The middle child was a mousy witch fiddling nervously and keeping her secrets to herself. The youngest was a blonde beam of glory, waiting to be claimed.

"Why aren't the youngest two allowed to date before the eldest?"

Lucius glanced at Severus. He yawned again before answering. "Well, nobody knows for sure, but something happened. Believe it or not, but Bellatrix was quite the social butterfly in her prime. After the holidays, she came back quiet and secretive and rebellious. Basically, she covered herself up with ugly layers of uniform and acquired an awful temper. No one dares approach her. She'll blow off any moment. Some poor unfortunate bloke asked to borrow a quill during class and she cast so many hexes on him he's probably still residing at St. Mungo's."

Narcissa had flung herself onto her back, her trail of golden tresses illuminating a shadow behind her head. True to Severus' word, every guy gazed longingly at her horizontal form. Andromeda shied away but Bellatrix blatantly ignored the attention. Before long, there was a scuffle among a small group of students. A young wizard pushed his way roughly through the crowd, not caring about whether or not he tread on any fingers. Immediately, the people in his way scrambled out of it. He overlooked all motion and unceremoniously plonked himself down on a bare patch on the grass.

Lucius felt curious towards this character. He nudged a dozing Severus. "Hey, Severus…" Severus recoiled. "Please, desist from touching me. And stop saying my name. You make everything sound unintelligent." If Lucius were in a worse mood, he would probably have half-strangled him for his impoliteness. But lucky for Severus, Lucius had just met the girl of his dreams.

"Fine, I won't touch you. But can you tell me who that is? Over there?"

Severus shielded his eyes against the sun. "That one that just pushed his way over there? Oh, you'll have no wish to tamper with him. He's probably the only guy in the school scarier than Bellatrix. That's Rodolphus Lestrange. He's weird, that one is. I don't think he's really attended much of class at all. It's a real surprise how he manages to stay at Hogwarts, what with all the trouble he's caused."

Lucius thought carefully. Lestrange. Another noble last name.

The bell rang again, inspiring the students meandering around the lake to spring into action. This meant that Narcissa stood up, shaking her cascade of hair and brushing down her uniform. Lucius felt his eyes drawn once more to the girl. "Forget it, Malfoy. You'll never get to date her. She can't go out until good old Bellatrix attaches herself to a respectable pureblood male and no one's crazy enough to pursue her."

Watching Narcissa sway back towards the castle with her two sisters, Lucius felt the overpowering desire to possess this girl which no one else could have. Thinking back on Severus' many words, his eyes strayed towards another figure splayed out on the bare patch of grass.

A Malfoy never lost to anything.

**AN: So, there's the first chapter. Although the first chapter is all in Lucius' POV, I swear it's a Roddy/Bella fic. Well, maybe there will be a bit of Lucius/Narcissa because I love both pairings equally. I apologise if it's moving a bit slowly for you. Reviews make me happy (no matter if they're good or bad). Please let me know what you think. I would be glad to revise any suggestions. Thanks!**


	2. First Introductions

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah. _

Chapter Two:

First impressions are usually not the most correct. That was what Lucius was thinking as he daydreamed in class. When he first met Severus Snape, he thought the boy was oily, sarcastic, and a large annoyance. Truth be told, Severus was still oily and sarcastic, but an annoyance he was not. In fact, after a bumpy beginning, Lucius had become best friends with this 'annoyance'. Although Severus was a year lower than Lucius, he had a high level of maturity. A little shunned from his peers, Severus was a lone figure in the social pyramid of Hogwarts. Only Lucius was a friend. Together, they compared notes and ate lunch. Hogwarts seemed a lot pleasanter already.

"Mr. Malfoy! Kindly pay some attention, please!"

Lucius dragged his gaze to the front of the classroom. Professor McGonagall was glaring accusingly at him and the rest of the class had swiveled around to stare. Lucius rubbed his cheek, flushing a faint tinge of pink around his collar.

"Sorry, Professor."

"Now, as I was saying-"

McGonagall's words were devoured by the bell. Students immediately ceased their concentration and made a dash for the door after seizing their belongings. Still unfamiliar to the rush of lunch, Lucius couldn't help but blink and shrink a little into his seat. He waited for the classroom to empty before slowly gathering his books. Professor McGonagall disregarded his presence and disappeared from the room as well.

It was another hot, humid day. Lucius loosened his tie slightly and grimaced. He was never one for warm weather. Slinging his bag over a shoulder, he suddenly stopped. Out of one of the doorways, a girl exited into the sunlight. But not just any girl. _The_ girl. Narcissa Black. Lucius gazed rapturously at the laughing Black conversing with another of her many friends. He ran his teeth nervously along his bottom lip before taking a deep breath and advancing towards Narcissa.

Almost at once, another boy stepped in front of Narcissa. Lucius froze.

"Hello, gorgeous. How are you on this fine day?"

Narcissa smiled and shielded her eyes against the pervasive afternoon sun. "Hello Evan. I'm good. What about you?"

The boy smirked lazily. "I'm even better than before now that I managed to catch a glimpse of your attractive face."

Lucius cast his disappointed eyes away from the flirtatious scene playing out in front of him. "You know, Malfoy. Acting like a hopeful hangdog in public is really quite pathetic." Severus had appeared at Lucius' side and silently observed the interaction between a certain Miss. Black with her new admirer. He had also noticed the emotions the interaction had sparked in his best friend. Lucius said nothing and turned to walk away briskly.

"Come now, Malfoy. If you continue appearing so pitiable I'm afraid I'll have to stop associating with you. It's very embarrassing." Lucius ignored Severus' sarcastic attempt at cheering him up. Severus sighed. Lucius could be so moody sometimes. "His name's Evan Rosier, if you're wondering. It's funny how I seem to providing background knowledge of everyone in the school for you. Anyway, he's the school heartthrob and your typical richer than life Slytherin complete with perfect lineage. Rumor has it that the guy hasn't stayed with a girl for more than two weeks."

At this point, Lucius swung around the glare at Severus. "Will you please shut up, Severus? If you can't already tell, I'm not in the best of moods right now." Severus raised an eyebrow. "I can see, all right. Excuse me for trying to make you seem less dismal."

"Well it's not helping" snapped Lucius.

"Then, how about this," added Severus. "I heard Narcissa Black is looking for a tutor in Transfiguration. Her grades aren't perfect enough for Daddy-dear to be pleased."

Lucius eyed Severus for a while before breaking out into a grin. He patted his friend on the shoulder and ran off. Severus rolled his eyes and followed. What a ridiculously easy to please fellow.

(o) - O - (o)

Bellatrix fingered the note card absently in her right hand, her thumb grazing the textured paper lightly. She closed her eyes and sighed quietly. When she opened her eyes, a group of second years were pointing at her and whispering rudely. She fixed them a deadly glare and stood up abruptly, wrenching her bag off the seat, slipping the note card into her pocket and stalking off. You'd think that some people had managed to learn some manner of proper etiquette. But then again, that group consisted of Hufflepuffs so it was no surprise that they were a bunch of idiotic brats.

She entered the shade of the hallway and maneuvered her way to her next class - Defense Against the Dark Arts. As usual, she was the first one to arrive. She casually strode over to her seat and dumped her bag beside the table. Then, she reached into her pocket and drew out the note card again. It was curled a little at the edges. She attempted to straighten it a little before giving up and sliding into her seat.

Before long, the bell had rang and the students in that class were filling the classroom. Bellatrix ignored all of them. It was generally accepted that as long as nobody bothered her, she wouldn't cause grievous bodily harm to any individual. Therefore, no one took any notice of her.

The teacher stepped into the room with a clatter of dropped instruments and splintered his spectacles. "Oh, no! Not again!" His vehement exclamation caused a loud giggle to flutter around the class. Bellatrix did not deem such dull behavior worthy of her attention. The teacher started off the class by handing back the essay which was their homework from the previous night. As he laid the essay across Bellatrix's table, she noticed many angry red comments scrawled around her words. She took a breath and raised her hand.

Professor Vervara finished handing out the essays before facing Bellatrix. "Yes, Miss. Black. What is it?"

"Professor, why are there so many negative comments on my essay when I have clearly stated my opinions in a well constructed manner. I also believe my essay is easily double the amount that any student here has written."

The teacher sighed, "Miss. Black, as well ordered as your thoughts were, I did not ask for a complete contradiction to my teachings. I expected you to form an essay in the way I had taught, not create a totally different argument."

Bellatrix rose to her feet. "So basically, you're saying that it is wrong for students to express their own opinions? Is it wrong for us to think independently from what you do?" The atmosphere in the class was still. The other students were attempting to stifle their whispers, but were clearly interested in the disagreement between student and teacher. Still, being afraid of Bellatrix, they were fearful to raise their attention too much in case her anger exploded and unleashed upon whichever unlucky person was available.

"Sit down, Miss. Black. If you wish to create a scene, feel free to confront me after class. For now, everyone, please turn to page fifty-six in your textbooks. I said _sit down_ Miss. Black. Do not make me repeat myself again." Professor Vervara dismissed Bellatrix's bubbling complaint and swished his way to the front of the class once more.

Bellatrix lowered herself back into her seat, reaching for the essay and crumpling it up noisily. The teacher chose to overlook this.

The lesson wasn't particularly interesting. Bellatrix knew much of the information since a long time ago. She felt no need to repeat things she already knew. Instead, she spent the class period formulating a well rounded argument for which to face Professor Vervara with after class.

It was at a point where five minutes were left of class and students were anxiously counting down the seconds, when the door smashed open and a boy skidded into the room. Everyone turned to face him, even Bellatrix. She frowned. Lateness was despicable and this boy obviously knew nothing of good conduct. Glancing at his uniform, she was ashamed to see the Slytherin symbol stitched there. When she raised her eyes to the boy's face, however, she felt her shame melt away.

It was Rodolphus Lestrange.

Well, that was only expected of him, she supposed. It was impossible for that Lestrange boy to not be an utter insect, regardless of his noble heritage. Leaving the rest of the class to gawk at the newcomer, she righted her body position to the front of the class.

"Mr. Lestrange, do you realize how late you're-"

"So, what did I miss?"

Professor Vervara blinked. "Young man, class is nearly over! Your appearance was expected at the start of the period, not the end of it. You have missed out on a whole chapter! We have a test on Thursday and you will require some serious catching up to make up for all the work you've missed!"

Rodolphus, however, did not seem very concerned. Instead, he smiled infuriatingly. "Well, I haven't missed too much then." And then he turned to exit out the door once more.

There was a shocked silence in the room. Bellatrix inspected her nails whilst her classmates and teacher hesitated in a horrified silence.

Then, the bell interrupted their reverie and the tide of students swept outside the class, leaving behind the incidents too. Bellatrix collected her books and quill, ready for a battle against Professor Vervara. However, when she looked up, the Professor had already fled the room, leaving behind a swirl of dust and a seething Bellatrix.

(o) - O - (o)

Lucius hovered outside a classroom, forcing himself to take big breaths of air and trying to placate the nervousness expanding rapidly inside his stomach. The bell sounded and Lucius started. It had caught him off guard amidst all his inner musings. Before he could settle himself down, the class door burst open and the students once imprisoned inside struggled free, rushing towards their next destination. Lucius flattened himself quickly against the wall, having no desire to be crushed by the crowd. Then, he caught a glimpse of gold and he chased after it.

Narcissa seemed too accustomed to the bustle between periods for it to bother her. She was trying to balance a large chunk of papers with some difficulty. She was surprised to find a pair of arms appearing and helping her out. She glanced up to see a face she hadn't seen before. "Hello, I'm Lucius Malfoy." He was quite a bit taller than her with the same tone of hair as hers. She smiled uncertainly. "Er, hello. I'm Narcissa B-"

"I know who you are. You're Narcissa Black. It's your fourth year. I'm in the same house as you."

Narcissa stared at him. Lucius suddenly realised that in his rush to introduce himself with as many similarities as her, he had caused himself to be portrayed as some creepy stalker. Feeling panic swell a little, he retreated hurriedly. "Sorry if I startled you. I was just passing by and thought I might help out a fellow Slytherin." Narcissa clearly wished to be somewhere else, her attention was drifting. She turned back towards him with a disinterested expression. "Well, er, Lucius. I have to get to my next class now. Thanks for helping me with the, er, papers. It was nice meeting you. Now, if you don't mind, I really have to go…"

She snatched her papers back from Lucius' embrace and turned sharply to walk away.

Lucius longed to transform back into a coward and just safely admire the view and comfort himself on at least getting her to realize he existed. However, somewhere deep in his heart, he knew this would probably be his only chance. Someone like Narcissa wouldn't notice him (even if he was a Malfoy). If he had any slight intention on pursuing her, he would need to belt up and step out there. He had come all this way, after all! He had even bunked fifth period for this girl! There was no way he was giving up.

Making up his mind, Lucius ran and caught up with Narcissa who still seemed to be struggling with her many heaps of paper. "So, Miss Black, I heard you were looking for a Transfiguration tutor." Narcissa swiveled her head slightly to look at him quickly. She seemed to be thinking _why hasn't this loser left already?_ Lucius politely chose to ignore this.

"Yes, I am lacking a little in that particular subject. My father isn't pleased with my grades and suggested I hire a tutor to up my average."

"Well, I'm available. I mean, to tutor." Lucius raked a hand through his hair, feeling a foreign clamminess overcome his skin. Why was he so nervous? Narcissa took no notice and continued her trek towards her next class. "Are you good at Transfiguration, Lucius?" Lucius stopped his idiotic berating and focused his mind back on the conversation. "Er, yes. I am excelling in Transfiguration." _Idiot! Now you sound like you're bragging! Just shut up and smile! No, wait. Don't smile. She might think you have a mental problem or something. Just… just… just act normal, for Merlin's sake!_

"Lucius? Lucius?"

Narcissa was tapping her dainty foot against the wooden floorboards. Lucius stared at her blankly. Narcissa sighed. That one motion sank Lucius' self-esteem like the Titanic. "I need to go to class now. If you're really interested in tutoring me, please meet me in the Library tomorrow at lunchtime. We can then discuss the fee I shall pay you and other matters. I'll wait for the first five minutes. If you're not there by then, I'll assume you've retracted your offer."

With that, she swung inside a classroom, leaving a slightly dazed Lucius to wonder at his luck.

"Mr. Malfoy! What are you doing? Get to class at once!"

Professor McGonagall looked annoyed as she approached a lovesick Lucius. Lucius managed to drag his eyes away from the closed classroom door and look at the Professor. "I'm so sorry, Professor. I'll get there straightaway." Before McGonagall could open her mouth again, Lucius had started along the corridor.

Lucius was feeling delirious. It was a magnificent feeling; almost as fine as when he had first ridden a broomstick. No, it was finer. He grinned in spite of himself, hoping no one would be around to witness his acts of stupidity. Then, he stopped in his tracks. In his joy, he had managed to take himself down some unidentifiable hallway. He spun around a few times. But it was hopeless, he was definitely lost. Feeling no desire to stay astray forever, he immediately retraced his footsteps. There was a problem; he had absolutely no idea where his footsteps had come from.

(o) - O - (o)

The books made an interesting pyramid if you could balance them correctly. Rodolphus waved his wand with careful precision. Another thick textbook added itself onto the already artistically formed pile. It shivered for a moment before stilling itself. Rodolphus smiled and nodded approvingly. He was supposed to be in Charms now, but saw no need to actually attend the class. He was a failure at life anyway; might as well enjoy being a failure to the fullest extent. Through six years of exploring Hogwarts in his time from skiving classes, he had found a remote corridor that evaded patrol from any form of existence. No teacher, student, or animal bothered him here.

He leaned back to add another book to the pile.

CRASH!

Rodolphus quickly jerked his head back to find his cautiously constructed pyramid in a crumbled heap on the floor. In the centre, the culprit lay, groaning a little with the pain. Rodolphus was not feeling very happy. "Hey, you! What the hell do you think you're doing? I spent ages making that!"

The young wizard crawled into a sitting position. His eyes widened when he saw who was speaking to him. Rodolphus advanced towards him. He attempted to scramble out of the way. Rodolphus gave a barking laugh. "You look like a worm trying to escape or something! Shouldn't you be in class? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You'll bring shame to Slytherin." His sharp vision had caught the green symbol on his robes.

The boy stiffened a bit and stood up, facing Rodolphus. He was almost as tall as him too. Rodolphus couldn't help but feel some amusement. It was interesting to receive a different reaction once in a full moon. This boy was different from the rest. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting for the boy to speak.

"Listen here; I know who you are, Rodolphus Lestrange. Your reputation precedes you. But don't you ever, EVER say I might bring shame to Slytherin. I am a Malfoy. No Malfoy has brought shame to ANYTHING. Do not insult me so."

Rodolphus pursed his lips. "A Malfoy, huh? That's a pretty surname. What with all your money and power, no wonder you're not scared to stand up to me, the big bully. Anything else you'd like to say?"

The boy seemed to deflate slightly. He looked away awkwardly.

Rodolphus burst into loud laughter. He clapped the boy on the back. "I'm not about to eat you. In spite of all those rumors that I ate a live duck and sold my liver, I'm not that scary. You're all right. Don't be getting into anymore trouble now, will you?"

He flicked his wand and the scattered books collected neatly into his bag. Another flick sent the bag swooping onto his outstretched hand. He grasped it firmly and slung it over his shoulder before cheerfully ambling off into the darkness.

**AN: So… what do you think? There's first interactions between Narcissa and Lucius, Bella and Roddy, and Lucius and Roddy. Quite a lot happened. I'll be changing some things so it might not be exactly like 10 Things I Hate About You. Remember, it's just based on it. Please review and let me know where I can improve. Thanks!**


	3. Charmed and Charming

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah. _

**AN: Usually I have Author Notes at the end of a chapter, but it's also in the front this time because I feel the need to apologize for my long absence. I went on holiday in Taiwan so was unable to access a computer and post. But never fear! I have returned and shall serve my apology with a brand new chapter.**

Chapter Three:

The note card fluttered to the floor. Bellatrix swiped it up again quickly, hoping no one had noticed. After a day of contemplating, it had become creased beyond repair. She closed her eyes and sighed. There was no delaying the truth. She reached for the paper and ink. Suddenly, the common room door swung open and Narcissa stepped inside. All eyes swiveled to her before politely swiveling back again. Bellatrix tapped her quill against her chin before her younger sister bounced into the empty seat beside her.

"So, big sis, how are things going for you?"

Bellatrix didn't bother looking at her. "It's the same as usual."

Narcissa raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth to say something. However, before she could utter a sound, the door swung open once more, revealing Evan Rosier. Narcissa seemed to have forgotten what she was about to say as she gazed dreamily towards the handsome boy weaving his way towards her. "Narcissa, how lovely that Fate allowed us to meet here today!" Narcissa blushed faintly and looked away. Their moment was sharply interrupted by an annoyed voice.

"It's the Slytherin common room, Rosier. Seeing as we are all Slytherins, I don't find it especially surprising that you would find her here."

Evan switched his gaze to the dark figure scribbling slowly onto a yellowed piece of parchment. "It's good to see you too, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix snorted. "Rosier, I see you everyday. We're in mostly the same classes."

At this point, Narcissa nudged her sister urgently. "Bella! Stop acting so rude!"

Unconcerned, Bellatrix continued scribbling on her parchment. Evan looked slightly irritated. Turning to Narcissa, he fixed a roguish smile on his face. "Well, Narcissa, I'll see you around." Narcissa nodded painfully at him, waiting for him to retreat before whirling around to glare at her sister. "Bella! Just what were you doing? Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was?" At this, Bellatrix finally stopped her writing and faced her sister. A serious expression crossed her visage.

"Cissy, stay away from Evan Rosier. Trust me, he's bad news."

Narcissa sniffed and tossed her golden head. "He's a perfectly nice boy, Bella. He's handsome, and charming, and rich, and of noble blood. What more could you ask for?" Bellatrix gently reached out and grasped Narcissa's hands with her own. "Cissy, that's just what's on the outside. He seems that way with all his conquests. You're too naïve. You don't know half of what he's like. Please, stay away from him. I'm trying to protect you."

Narcissa shook away Bellatrix's hands and stood up angrily. "What right do you have to want to protect me? You're not Mother! Mother died ages ago! Anyway, even if I really liked someone, I couldn't date them anyway! It's all your fault! Yours and Father's and that stupid rule about you dating first! Look at you! Look at the disgusting way you dress and your disgusting hair! Who in their right mind would want you?"

The common room was silent, every pair of eyes unmoving from the sisters. Bellatrix gracefully gathered her things and made to leave. Narcissa seemed to realize how far she'd gone. "Bella. Bella, please. Bella, I'm sorry. Don't go. I'm sorry! I was just really angry and-" She clutched at Bellatrix's sleeve, trails of tears trickling down her cheeks. Bellatrix pulled away and strode towards the dorms, leaving her sister crying softly by herself beside the fire.

(o) - O - (o)

"Severus! Severus! Wait up!"

Severus turned around to see his best friend panting heavily and supporting himself against the side of the building. He sighed and walked over. "What happened now, Lucius? You look like you've just ran a mile." Lucius lowered himself to the ground carefully. "You walk surprisingly fast for your stature."

Severus grinned. "Most people think so too." Looking around, he faced his friend again. "What is it now? Can we please go to the common room first instead of loitering here? You look rather bizarre. Besides, it's not extremely clean here." Lucius nodded and allowed Severus to pull him to his feet. "Severus, I tell you, so many things have happened to me today. I'm still reeling from it all."

"Well, why don't you stay quiet until we reach the common room. I don't feel like multitasking much right now."

Used to his cold barbed jabs, Lucius overlooked Severus' rudeness. They stopped in front of the common room and pushed open the door. Inside, it was eerily quiet. Most people seemed almost… _scared_ to talk. Curiosity overwhelming him, Lucius approached a nearby first-year and asked him. "Excuse me, but what happened here exactly?" The first-year gave him a quick glance. "There's been some drama going on today. Narcissa Black had a bit of a disagreement with her sister over Evan Rosier. Anyway, now Bellatrix has taken to her room. We're afraid she might be angry so no one dares make loud sounds in case she unleashes her fury."

Behind him, Severus snickered softly. Lucius turned to look at him. Immediately, Severus stifled his laughter. "Nothing, nothing."

They strode over to some available seats and propped themselves upon them. "So, Lucy" said Severus. Lucius flinched at the girly abbreviation of his name. "Severus, please don't call me that." Ignoring him, Severus continued. "You said you encountered many exploits today. Care to share them?" Lucius leaned back in his chair, enjoying the warmth of the fire spreading through his body.

"Well, first of all, I bunked a class just to wait for Narcissa Black." Severus coughed. "You bunked a class just for a girl?" Nodding miserably, Lucius continued. "At least something came out of it. I caught up with Narcissa as she came out of her class. I think I made an impression."

"Please tell me it was because you were irresistibly charming and not because she thought you acted like a toad."

"Actually, I'm not sure. I didn't act too pathetic, but I can't say I was oozing charisma. All the same, I managed to extract a meeting from her. She said to meet her at the start of lunch tomorrow. I only have five minutes."

Severus patted his shoulder. "Well, it wasn't too bad. I'm sure you could have done much worse."

"There's more. After that, I got lost."

Severus gave him a look. "Sometimes I don't know why I retain your acquaintance."

"It was an accident! Hogwarts is really big and you know I just got here."

Reluctantly, Severus let it go.

"Well, I ran into Rodolphus Lestrange."

At this, Severus' eyes expanded slightly. "Rodolphus Lestrange? THE Rodolphus Lestrange? What happened?"

"I knocked over a pyramid of books he was building… But are you sure all those rumors about him are true? I mean, I thought he was pretty nice."

Severus spluttered. "NICE? Believe me, Rodolphus is far from nice."

(o) - O - (o)

_Dear Father,_

_All is well here. I am upholding our beliefs with honor and am making you proud. School is coming along splendidly. Apart from a rather big-headed professor by the name of Vervara, I am enjoying my classes. Andromeda seems the same as usual. I don't worry about her much. It's Narcissa I'm concerned about._

_She seems to be spending a large amount of time with Evan Rosier. I trust you have not forgotten that name. I attempted to warn her, but she grew quite agitated. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to talk to her._

_I also have some important news for you. A few days prior, I received a note card. If you do not know the significance of this, let me inform you. This is a personal invitation from the Dark Lord to join his league of loyal followers. It is a true privilege and I would be proud to partake in this worthy cause. I have considered it quite carefully and am sure this is what I want. I just hope you can wish me happiness and understand._

_I'm looking forward to receiving your reply._

_Your daughter,_

_Bellatrix Black._

Bellatrix scanned the letter carefully, checking that the handwriting was adequate and there were no errors. Satisfied with her findings, she attached it to the owl's leg and bade him farewell. Then, she gathered her cloak and stepped carefully down from the owlery. The steps were slightly slippery and she found a fear of tripping in an ungainly fashion. As she neared the bottom, she relaxed. But she relaxed too soon, because before she knew it, she was sliding against the slick steps. Bracing herself, she closed her eyes tightly. But when she opened her eyes, she was not sprawled painfully against the floor, but caught just in time in a pair of arms.

Realizing her predicament, Bellatrix quickly stood up and brushed herself off, turning to thank her savior. But she turned around to meet the eyes of a smirking Rodolphus Lestrange.

"Well, Black. It looks like I just saved you from a horrible injury. How are you to thank me?"

Bellatrix huffed. "Ingrates like you deserve no thanks. However, because I am a noble lady that recognizes manners, thank you. Now, kindly excuse me."

As she swirled her way out of the dimly lit corridor, Rodolphus Lestrange stared after her, a small smile flickering on his face.

(o) - O - (o)

The lunch bell rang and as per usual, the students all scrambled out of the classrooms as if their lives depended on it. Normally, Lucius would wait quietly until the crowds had dispersed somewhat, but today was different. He had only five minutes to get to the library before Narcissa withdrew his chance. He lunged for his bag. His things were packed and ready long ago. Like lightning, he was raced out the door and along the corridors. Panting, he glanced at his watch. There were still two minutes to spare. He smiled and shot through the library doors triumphantly. However, he was only rewarded with Madam Pince, the grouchy librarian, glaring at him disapprovingly and shushing him.

He mumbled his apologies and scanned the library for any sight of Narcissa's golden locks. After thoroughly combing the whole revenue, he admitted to himself that she had not yet arrived. However, she was already eight minutes late. Calming himself down a bit, he settled into a chair to wait.

Twenty minutes later, there was still no sign of Narcissa and Lucius was beginning to feel hungry. A small rumble from his stomach attracted another glare from Madam Pince. He bowed his head, patting his stomach and still searching for a certain Miss Black. Slowly, the wear of yesterday was catching up with him. As hard as he tried to resist it, Lucius felt his eyes drifting shut.

BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

Lucius fell off the chair. The bell had rang and students were fleeing once more to their next classes. Blearily, Lucius rubbed his eyes and sat up, blinking away the slumber from his mind. Then, it registered. Narcissa Black had just stood him up. A strong anger was now spiraling inside him. Who did this girl think she was? He was a Malfoy! He had given up much of his pride for her! How dare she just walk all over him! Reenergized, Lucius snatched up his bag and stormed purposefully through the library doors, intent on finding Miss Black and giving her a piece of his mind.

He marched his way through the bustle of Hogwarts before seeing her. By some heavenly stroke of luck, Narcissa Black was walking towards him. But she was not alone. She was accompanied by none other than Evan Rosier. With a twinge in his heart, Lucius realized how good they looked together. Narcissa was beautiful beyond thought and Evan cut a dashing figure in the afternoon sunlight. He had whispered something funny in her ear and had caused Narcissa to laugh profusely. They sauntered past Lucius without recognition. Narcissa didn't even turn her head or apologize!

Enraged, he chased after them. Evan had just uttered his goodbyes to Narcissa and was walking away, leaving a dreamy Narcissa sighing in his wake. Lucius tapped Narcissa's shoulder politely. She spun around. "Hello Miss Black. Do you remember me?" Narcissa stared blankly for a moment or two before gasping softly, covering her mouth with slender, pale fingertips. "Mr. Malfoy! I'm so sorry, I forgot all about you!"

"Yes, I thought so" said Lucius between gritted teeth. "I waited for you the whole lunchtime, Miss Black. I didn't even eat." Narcissa tucked a stray strand of gold behind her ear. "Really, I am sorry Mr. Malfoy. If your offer still stands, then I would very much like to have you as my tutor." Lucius looked at her. She seemed genuinely remorseful. Sensing the change in mood, Narcissa immediately started milking it for all it was worth. She untucked the strand of hair and curled it around a slim finger. "I can't apologize enough, Mr. Malfoy. If you're good enough to forgive me, I'd feel so much better."

Eyes fixated on the twined hair, Lucius nodded dumbly. Narcissa smiled. "Lovely. Meet me in the library after school today, then. I promise I won't be late. And you be a good boy and show up on time too." She flashed another alluring smile and swished her way back from whence she came. Lucius stood dazed, wondering once more at the strange effect this girl seemed to have on him. Then, he realized just how late he was for Charms.

Quickly, Lucius sprinted towards his classroom. He opened the door to see Professor Flitwick demonstrating what seemed like a rather complicated wand maneuver. Professor Flitwick stopped once he saw Lucius. "Ah! Mr. Malfoy! It's so good of you to join us!" Lucius gave a half-bow. "I'm so sorry, Sir. I lost track of time."

"Do not dawdle any more. Find your seat, please."

Gratefully, Lucius sank towards the nearest available space. As he settled down and unpacked the necessary books, he heard a familiar voice. "Remember me, little fellow?" Lucius stiffened. Slowly, he inched his head towards the voice.

It was Rodolphus Lestrange. He was actually smiling at Lucius.

"I didn't catch your first name last time, Malfoy. What is it?"

Lucius swallowed. "I'm Lucius."

"Pleased to meet you, Lucius. I didn't know we were in the same Charms class!"

"That's probably because you've never come to class before" muttered Lucius. Rodolphus broke out in laughter and clapped Lucius heartily on the back. "Well said, Malfoy. Well said. But I decided I was bored of stacking pyramids with my books and actually attended class today. It's been so long I was almost foreign to the feeling of learning. What a surprise it was to see you here, though."

By this time, Professor Flitwick had finally had enough of their conversation. It was hard to ignore Rodolphus Lestrange's voice, especially as he did not even attempt to lower it. "Boys, please pay attention. This is very important. It will most definitely be in your end of year exams." With that, he resumed his teaching and the boys submerged themselves in silence.

**AN: Sorry! I couldn't resist adding a little Bella/Roddy moment at the owlery. And what do you think of Narcissa? Is she like Bianca at all? Lots of exciting things will occur in the next chapter. So, wait for that, I'll try to update soon. Leave a review! I say that every single chapter. I just really want to know what you think!**


	4. Plan's Contraception

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah. _

Chapter Four:

Narcissa checked the time again impatiently. That boy was late. But she couldn't leave; she had forgotten at lunch, after all. It was only right that she make it up to him. Still, she supposed she could do much worse. He seemed rather nice… a little besotted with her, but really, who wasn't? For the umpteenth time, she checked the time, willing a certain figure to appear. Usually she would be in the common room or her dorm, gossiping with her friends about Evan Rosier under the pretense of homework. Last night she had an awful argument with Bella. Even though Bella was the eldest, she had no right to boss Narcissa around! In the middle of her musings, someone tapped her shoulder sharply. She spun around.

Lucius had debated with himself whether or not to come. After the initial pleasure at receiving some attention, he realized how pathetic he was acting. Malfoys do not walk around like lovesick puppies begging to be petted. But his desire to see Narcissa and spend time with her won over the sting of yesterday's lunch. In the end, he still made his way to the arranged destination, quite wary of the fact that he was late. Having regained some of his Malfoy pride (namely, not feeling the need to kiss Narcissa's footsteps and worshipping her any longer), he was fine with making her wait. Lucius chose to ignore the tiny spiral of worry that she had left or hadn't shown up again.

As he opened the library doors, he felt the relief rush forwards with the glimpse of Narcissa's beautiful silky hair, tilted to the side slightly. Lucius inhaled and exhaled, calming himself down before nearing the girl. Then, he stifled the shaking in his hand and prodded her shoulder gingerly. Narcissa swiveled around almost immediately, her poetic features lighting in a smile. "Mr. Malfoy! I was waiting for you!"

Lucius nodded stiffly, willing himself to keep it together. As much as he wished to melt into the clear blue eyes and succumb to the feeling of utter servitude, he reminded himself that the Malfoy name was at stake. Narcissa blinked, a little surprised at how cold he was acting. Usually, the combination of her smile and lilting voice was enough to send any male into her arms. However, this boy seemed immune to her charms! She sniffed. "Mr. Malfoy. If you'd rather not be here, that's fine with me. I won't waste your time. It's easy to find another Transfiguration tutor."

At this, Lucius realized he might have offended her. He swallowed and quickly said "No, no. It's fine. I was just… a little distracted. Shall we begin now?" Satisfied that Lucius was once more under her control, Narcissa smiled and reached for a book. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm having some trouble with this section. Would you kindly explain it to me?" Lucius took the book with his hands and eyed the information. Then, he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Miss Black, how long ago did you cover this topic in class?"

Narcissa bit her lip. "I'm not exactly sure. Does it matter?"

Lucius looked at her. "No, it's all right. Well, you might have a bit of catching up to do. We should get started quickly."

They spent the remainder of their lesson with productive work. Narcissa forgot her coy flirtations and Lucius threw his deep affections to one side. Before they knew it, time had flown by quicker than either imagined possible. Madam Pince approached them with a sour look on her face. "The library is closing. Get out." Lucius and Narcissa exchanged glances before quickly gathering their books and parchments and retreating into the corridors. When Narcissa checked the time, she was shocked to see that they had worked solidly for over three hours. Lucius was still sorting his belongings more neatly into his bag when Narcissa spoke. "Thank you very much, Mr. Malfoy. If you have the time, how would tomorrow after school sound for our next lesson?"

Lucius looked at her. "Our… next lesson?"

"Well, I feel that I've covered a lot of ground today. If you don't mind, I would love to continue having you as my tutor." She edged closer to Lucius, almost closing the thin gap between them. Lucius stayed fixed to the spot, unbelieving this was happening to him. "What do you say, Mr. Malfoy?"

Poor Lucius couldn't do much except nod like a puppet. After Narcissa had whispered her goodbye in his left ear, he stared after the shadows of Hogwarts, hope filling his heart. Being her tutor may have been the best thing he decided in his whole life.

The next day, when both parties arrived for the lesson, Lucius acted quite different than he had last time. This was not lost on Narcissa. Where she had been pleasing an annoyed boy last time, this time she was not in the mood to reply to his forward questions.

"Miss Black, what do you like in a man?"

"Mr. Malfoy, I have a test tomorrow and I would really rather study."

"Of course. I was just saying, if you were to have a boyfriend, what traits do you look for?"

"I don't know. Oh, this doesn't make sense. Can you explain further?"

"Sure. But first, Miss Black, I have a question to ask you."

Narcissa sighed. "What is it, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Would you go with me to the next Hogsmeade weekend with me?"

Narcissa turned towards him, a serious expression crossing her face. "Mr. Malfoy, I don't know if you've heard, but my father has expressly forbidden any of his younger two daughters to date unless my eldest sister, Bellatrix, dates first. Seeing as my eldest sister is not dating anyone at the moment, I would say that I am also not allowed. So, please don't take it personally. It is against my will to remain single. Now, can we please turn back to Transfiguration?"

Lucius remained distracted for the continuation of the lesson. After they parted ways, he went to find Severus. "Severus! Hey, Severus!" The aforementioned turned around then sighed loudly. "Do you have to yell my name so loudly every time? People are prone to look at me."

"Severus, I need your help."

"Let me guess, it's about a girl."

"Yes, how did you-"

"And let me guess, that girl's Narcissa Black."

"Yes, and-"

"And let me guess, you want to find a way to date her."

Lucius looked at Severus in irritation. Severus shrugged. "Your mind is rather easy to decipher." Ignoring the insult, Lucius continued. "Well, I'm now officially her tutor. Today, I asked her out-" At this, Severus snapped his head around quickly. "You did what?"

"I asked her out."

"I cannot believe you. I thought there was a limit to one's stupidity."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it's pretty obvious she would turn you down."

"Yes, well, she did. But it was against her will. It's because her father won't let her date before Bellatrix does."

Severus snorted. "You really are an utter dolt. That was just an excuse. Someone like you is not in the same league as someone like her."

"What's that's supposed to mean? I'm-"

"A Malfoy, yes. You seem to bring that up every five seconds. I mean, in personality. There's nothing wrong with you physically, but you are lacking a little in the mental department."

"Are you saying that I am crazy?"

"No, I just mean that you are stupider than most and have a completely different character from Narcissa Black."

"Well, opposites attract."

"That may be, but…"

"Severus, are you going to help me or not?"

He sighed (an action he often repeated). "All right then, my dear Lucy. What do you wish for me to accomplish?"

"I need to find a way to date Narcissa Black."

"Right, and if you desire such a result, first of all you need to render her 'dateable'."

"Make her dateable?"

"And if you need her to be dateable, you need her sister to date first."

Lucius smiled, realization hitting him. "Oh! That's what you meant."

It seemed that at this point Severus had lost his patience. He proceeded to grab a large textbook from his bag and thump his friend's head with the offending object. "I need to think, Lucy. That means you cannot talk or utter loud noises." Severus paced on the spot. "So, we'll need to get someone to date Bellatrix. But really, who would date that horrible girl?" Suddenly, he stopped and turned to Lucius. "Lucy, who do we know that's just as scary as Bellatrix?"

Not missing a beat, Lucius replied "Rodolphus Lestrange."

Severus smiled. "Exactly."

"But Severus, I don't think even Rodolphus would want to date Bellatrix. He doesn't really strike me as the lovey dovey type. The only thing he loves would probably be money."

"That's it, Lucy. You're not as idiotic as you seem."

"What, money?"

"Yes, we could pay him to date Bellatrix!"

Lucius laughed. "Severus, that's genius!"

"Yes, it is rather brilliant. Now, we just need to know how much he'd do it for. How much can you pay him?"

Lucius frowned. "Me? Am I going to pay him?"

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you always going on about how you're a Malfoy? Where's the Malfoy fortune when you need it?"

"Well, my family may be filthy rich, but my father froze all my accounts until I reach the legal age of seventeen. That's his way of disciplining me about money. That and I also have a sneaky suspicion he wants to spend it himself."

"So, no money."

"No, I'm afraid not."

Lucius rubbed his temples in exasperation. However, Severus smiled. "Well, we'll just have to find another rich guy infatuated with Narcissa to do the dirty work for us, won't we?"

Lucius looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we'll approach the rich mark and tell him our plan of pairing together Rodolphus with Bellatrix without mentioning how it's for your sake. Then, we make him think if he pays Rodolphus to date Bellatrix, he'll get Narcissa-"

"When really I'll make my move!"

"Precisely."

"But Severus, where would we find a rich guy infatuated with Narcissa?"

"Lucy, they're all around you. You don't actually have to think that hard."

Suddenly, Lucius remembered how good Evan Rosier looked with Narcissa. "Evan Rosier. I know he's dying for Narcissa and you said he was rich."

Severus pondered their target for a while. "Yes, Rosier is pretty wealthy. And I don't think his bank accounts are frozen. He may be just what we are looking for."

(o) - O - (o)

As the lunch bell rang the next day, Lucius and Severus met up at a predecided place before setting off to hunt their mark. They found Evan Rosier surrounded by his elite group of friends. They approached him slowly, like hunters circling in on an unsuspecting lion. One of his friends noticed them first. "Oi, Evan. I think these two want to talk to you." Lazily, Evan opened one eye and sat up from his previous position of lying across the low window sill. "What is it?" Severus and Lucius exchanged glances. "Uh, Evan? Would you mind if we had a word in private?"

Considering this for awhile, Evan smirked. "I don't think I'd find anything you have to say particularly interesting."

"It's about Narcissa" interrupted Lucius.

Hearing that name, Evan hopped off the sill quickly, ignoring the curious looks from his friends. "Let's go to a quiet spot away from them." They wandered over to some bushes, away from prying ears. Evan folded his arms and looked at the pair of them. "What was it about Narcissa that you wanted to tell me?" Severus quelled the smile threatening to loosen on his lips. "You like her, don't you?"

Evan looked at him mockingly. "It's kind of obvious, isn't it? If you only dragged me away from my friends to ask me that, you are just wasting my time." He started to walk away before Severus stopped him. "But Evan, liking her and having her are two different things."

"What are you talking about?" asked Evan, impatience crying thinly in his voice. "I mean" said Severus, "you'll never be able to date Narcissa Black." Evan narrowed his eyes and came a little closer. "I don't think that's up to you to decide, Snape." Severus smirked. "Actually, I didn't mean it that way. You know that Narcissa isn't allowed to date before Bellatrix is, right?"

Evan scratched his head. "What? Why?"

"Their father has created the rule. As for why, I have no idea."

"So, I'm not able to date Narcissa until Bellatrix hooks up with some poor sucker?"

Both Lucius and Severus nodded. Evan swore angrily. Pleased at the direction this conversation seemed to be going, Lucius stepped forwards. "But we have come up with a plan so you'll get Narcissa." Evan looked at them suspiciously. "Why would you want to help me anyway?"

"Well, let's just say that we have a grudge against Rodolphus Lestrange."

"What? What does that supposed to mean?"

"Do you want to hear the plan?"

"Of course I want to hear the plan."

Having reached the level of success intended, Severus and Lucius proceeded to inform Evan all about their plan.

**AN: Hmm… a rather awkward finish. But anyway, I'm sorry if the long conversation between Severus and Lucius was a bit confusing. As you can see, I'm updating quite quickly, but school starts tomorrow, so I can't promise all my updates will be this speedy. I know there's not much Bella/Roddy, but be patient! It's coming! Just as soon as 'the plan' is put in action (evil laughter). So, review and please wait a bit longer. The exciting parts are on the way! Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys give me the support I need to write the chapters. More reviews mean faster updates!**


	5. Start of the Execution

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah. _

**AN: Okay, exams have officially just finished, so I FINALLY decided to update. I know this means I have to re-garner the attention of readers, but I shall accept that as my penance. So, without further ado, let us commence with the story!**

Chapter Five:

Evan was in a good mood. Well, for one thing, Narcissa Black had just cast flirtatious gazes over her shoulder at him during lunch in the Great Hall. And for another, he was on the way to dating her. He smirked to himself in the lazy sunshine and leaned against a stone pillar nearby, waiting for the target to approach. After a few boring moments of exasperated sighing and flicking his hair out of his eyes, he suddenly straightened. There, before him, was Rodolphus Lestrange. Usually, Evan was not one to socialize with characters such as Rodolphus, but after a clever suggestion made by two boys he had never met before, he decided it was worth it to break this rule. Evan carefully tucked his hair behind his ears, smudged away some lingering drops of sweat on his forehead, and loosened his tie considerably.

"Rodolphus! Hey! Rodolphus!"

Rodolphus proceeded in his merry manner and ignored Evan. Evan narrowed his eyes. He was not used to people acting as if he did not exist. But this was Rodolphus Lestrange, and unless he had a death wish, he knew it was not a good idea to make Rodolphus Lestrange angry. Hurriedly, he ran to catch up to the tall boy striding purposefully away from him.

"Rodolphus! Dude, I'm talking to you! Hello?"

Without warning, Rodolphus swiveled around, leveling a steely glare to Evan. Evan shrank away a little. He couldn't help it; the guy was a bit intimidating. Rodolphus stepped slowly towards Evan, maintaining his eye-contact with the unfortunate boy. Evan stopped himself from backing away, mentally casting up images of Narcissa. Oh, the lengths he went to for that girl. She'd better be good in bed or else he would get rather unhappy. By this time, Rodolphus had arrived inches away from Evan's nose. Evan attempted to gulp without him noticing.

"First of all, Rosier, no one addresses me by my first name without my say-so. Second, I do not appreciate the manner you spoke to me. Third, you are a son of a bitch and I do not consort with sons of bitches. Are we clear?"

Without waiting for a response, he turned to walk away. Desperation seized Evan and he quickly called, "I know you hate everybody, but do you hate money?"

Rodolphus stopped.

Mustering what was left of his courage, he trudged forwards gingerly. "Don't tell me even the great Rodolphus Lestrange doesn't like money? Now that's just unnatural." At this, Rodolphus chuckled. It was soft at first, but soon contorted into a great rumbling storm. He faced Evan, his mirth fluttering around his face. Then, as quickly as it came, it went. He lunged and grabbed a fistful of Evan's collar. Evan froze. "Well, Rosier. That depends on what I have to do to get the money and how much you're offering." Feeling a little more in control of the situation, Evan smirked.

"If you let go of my collar we can talk business."

(o) - O - (o)

"My good, naïve friend, when are you going to stop your relentless pacing?"

Severus had tired of Lucius' nervous footsteps more than a little while ago. He knew that such a suggestion would fall on deaf ears, but decided to try anyway. Beneath his annoyance, he could understand why Lucius was so worried. Evan had seemed very on board with the plan when they had relayed it to him, but you never knew. There was always the danger of Evan suddenly choosing not to listen to two strangers giving him odd advice, or even worse, if he found out the plan did not benefit him in the slightest. As Severus' mother always said, lies cannot be buried forever. Evan would have to find out sooner or later. Severus just hoped fervently that when such a time came, he and Lucius would be far, far out of harm's way.

With a start at the foreign quietness, he realized that Lucius had stopped his pacing. He looked around, and sure enough, there was one Evan Rosier walking smugly towards them. Judging by his Cheshire-like facial expression, either he had successfully secured the deal with Rodolphus and was taken in hook, line and sinker, or he had discovered their ruse and was going to take sweet revenge. Severus himself did not quite fancy the second option, and was quickly working out the quickest escape route should such a scenario occur. To hell with Lucius. Best friend he may be, but this was his mess, he was a lot more muscular and could take a beating if necessary and Severus was not one for much loyalty anyway.

"I hooked in the fucker."

Severus winced at the vulgarity uttered by Evan. He was more partial to eloquent language, and disliked such rough vocalizations. However, it did not seem like the ideal time to be mentioning this. Lucius was grinning even wider than Evan. Severus silently berated his friend. They were lucky Evan did not have more brain cells, or he might have been wondering why Lucius was happier than he was. Severus may need to have a little talk with him later. But at this moment, it was better just to float in his luck, embrace the smoothness of the plan's execution, and share the bliss that Lucius was undoubtedly submerged in.

(o) - O - (o)

The classroom was empty as usual. Bella settled down into her usual seat and shrugged off the heavy book bag with a _thump_! She glanced around once more to check that the area was secure before dropping her security and reaching for a perfectly folded letter from a pocket in her bag. She straightened the edges sharply with her long nails before unfolding the piece of paper. She had not wanted to open it at her dormitory because the shallow, conceited girls that were required to live there were vultures. She had not wanted to open it at lunchtime because the Great Hall was full of peering eyes and the outside contained meandering students only too eager to stick their noses where it didn't belong. She had not wanted to open it in the common room because no matter their nobility or intelligence, Slytherins were prying creatures that could be sneaky to a fault. In the end, she rationalized that the safest place to read her letter was before class in her classroom, just as lunch was drawing to an end. She knew that students were too lazy to wander to their classes early, and were always too willing to savor the last moment of freedom with their friends and glutinous food articles.

The letter was written in impeccable writing, devoid of any ink smudges or mistakes of the hand. The paper it was completed on was just as perfect.

_My dearest Bellatrix,_

_How glad I was to receive your letter. It gladdens me that you continue to uphold our beliefs. You are the one daughter I trust. I am proud of you and all your academic achievements. However, please discontinue describing your professors as "big-headed". It would not do if the letter was intercepted and read. I have no wish for you to compromise your perfect record._

_I see you are still keeping a close eye on your sisters. Thank you for your concern. I shall speak to Narcissa when she returns home for the holidays. In the meantime, I have sent her a letter also, reminding her of appropriate conduct. I have not sent a letter to Andromeda as you seem to believe she is fine. However, if anything goes awry, notify I immediately and I shall tend to it._

_Now, about your news, I do not know quite how to put it. On one hand, Bellatrix, I am immensely proud of the glory you honor our family with. You are not wrong in how fantastic an opportunity this is. But on the other hand, as a father, I cannot help but worry. You are my daughter and I want the best for you. Joining the Dark Lord would place you in constant danger. I do not want that for you. Please consider again before accepting._

_All in all, everything is well. Keep up your studies._

_Father._

Bellatrix sniffed indignantly and crumpled up the letter loudly. Her father was not going to decide every aspect in her life. She couldn't care less about what her family though about her joining the Dark Lord. It was a worthy cause and she would be a fool not to accept.

"My, my, who has made Miss Bellatrix so angry?"

Bellatrix swooped around quickly, preparing to give the person a severe tongue-lashing and maybe a trip to the Hospital Wing. Her furious words died in surprise as she looked upon the face of Rodolphus Lestrange. He grinned at her shocked expression. Never in her whole life had Rodolphus Lestrange turned up on time to class. So it was even more surprising that he was _early_. Bellatrix tried not to stare. Taking advantage of her stationary form, Rodolphus inched closer. In all other situations, he proceeded with confidence, knowing that his opponents were always beneath him and most probably very scared, However, this time Rodolphus acted cautiously, perceptive that Bellatrix was his match in the art of violence and witty criticisms.

Bellatrix still did not move. This unnerved Rodolphus a little. She was like a viper; staying stock-still and exuding calm, then striking with such force and speed that her prey did not even have time to breathe before collapsing to the floor, dead. Rodolphus stopped short of a meter away from the girl. In turn, Bellatrix was eyeing the boy suspiciously. In all truth, despite his disgusting behavior, Rodolphus Lestrange was quite good-looking. He was tall and muscular (probably a result from beating up younger students). His tanned skin was skimmed with a few scars. She noticed a particularly long one on his left arm. He had dressed very casually, as was expected. His shirt hung lazily outside his trousers, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Curious at the first opportunity to analyze this boy, Bellatrix scrutinized his face. His eyes were so dark they were almost black. His hair matched the midnight shade of hers. He could do with a comb and a trim, but Bellatrix decided that maybe he was going for the scruffy, unwashed look.

Aware that Miss Black was giving him the once-over, Rodolphus decided to do the same. Why did she wear such hideous clothes? Granted, it was the school uniform, but some people (like her sister, Narcissa, for instance) could make it seem cute and alluring nonetheless. Did she have to make it so potato-sackey? And her hair; it was the same colour as his, but extremely long. It was brushed so much that the dry strands almost fizzed upwards from the static. This gave her a slightly maniacal appearance. He wasn't sure if that was what she wanted. Her eyes were hidden from view by long strands of hair dangling on her face. But her ivory skin was smooth and flawless. The main attraction for Rodolphus, though, were her lips. They were naked (not smothered in fruity, fake lip glosses or balms) and plump. The lovely pink colour was the only splotch of joy in her drab garb. His eyes lingered for a while on those lips. They were the prettiest he ever did see.

"Mr. Lestrange. This is a rather strange for you, isn't it?"

Rodolphus started, but didn't let it show. Then he blinked. There was Bellatrix Lestrange, a quirked eyebrow and an annoyed gaze at him. She really was quite hideous. Still, he thought she might look much better if she smoothed the rough edges. It was no wonder Rosier had decided he was the only one for the job. Any other bloke would have ran a mile away the second he saw this disaster approaching. Mentally, he forced himself to think about the money.

At this point, Bellatrix was beginning to think that Rodolphus Lestrange was not only a revolting person, but probably quite retarded too. Her question was simple, but he was taking an age to process and answer it. She was about the turn around back to her seat when he spoke. "My dear Bellatrix-" Bellatrix flinched, remembering how her father had addressed her. "I am here on a whim, and because I wish to ask you something. You always seem to be here early, the little swot that you are."

"Mr. Lestrange, it is impolite to call someone a swot, and very stupid of you if you wish to ask me something. You should always butter up someone you want something from. That is a basic fact of survival."

Rodolphus smiled. Beauty she had none, but brains she had plenty.

"Would you do me the great honor of going out with me?"

"No."

Rodolphus stepped back. It wasn't that she rejected him. He was expecting that on his first attempt. It was that she had replied almost before he had finished his sentence. With her dissent, Bellatrix swiveled neatly back around in her seat, cutting away Rodolphus from her sight. But Rodolphus, who had a mission to complete, was not about to give up so easily. He walked up to Bellatrix, around her desk and faced her. Bellatrix continued to act as he was not there. Rodolphus slammed his hands against her desk with such force that the creaky contraption rattled and quivered. Bellatrix, far from being startled, raised her head slowly and cast him a look that made him feel two inches tall. Why, this girl had no need for jibes or hexes. One frozen glare would send you on your way to death.

"Why not, Miss Black?"

"Because I do not want to."

"Now, are you judging me before you know me?"

Bellatrix gave him another look, this one drenched in irritation.

"Who doesn't know you, Rodolphus Lestrange? You are the resident bad boy of Hogwarts. Your grades are atrocious, your manners even more so. Your tardiness could fill a mine, your swear words could block the sea. You need a haircut, you need some friends, and you need a life. You are the eldest son of the Lestrange family, a noble family that you do not treasure. You have a younger brother named Rabastan, your mother and father are decent people that have failed miserably in educating you. So, unless you wish me to find out what colour drawers you are wearing and what your cat's name is, I believe I have all the information I need."

Rodolphus hid his surprise with a laugh. "We don't have a cat."

"In all truthfulness, Mr. Lestrange, _I don't care._"

With that, Bellatrix reached into her book bag with lightning speed and smashed a large textbook onto the tabletop, narrowly missing Rodolphus' fingers. He yanked them away quickly before further pain was to be inflicted on them. As Bellatrix found a dusty page to study with keen interest, he wondered about the girl. She was not scared of him and she intrigued him. But now was not the time to be pondering a subject and he still had to figure a way to coerce her into dating him.

Rodolphus had not arrived today with the expectation of her assenting to his proposal. He knew she would not agree to it. But it was his way of testing her boundaries, having a feel at her personality, and analyzing her characteristics. With a cheerful smirk, Rodolphus ambled off towards a stray desk behind her. Bellatrix betrayed no motion, but her mind was hurtling at a millions per hour. It was puzzling and very bizarre that the Lestrange boy should approach her. It was even more strange that he had asked her out. She barely knew him, apart some horrible displays of his personality at times. He hardly ever attended classes. But even as her keen mind twirled and fizzled, she couldn't for the life of her figure out why Rodolphus Lestrange was paying her attention.

The sound of the school bell jolted her out of her thoughts and she readied her supplies for Defence Against the Dark Arts before the crush of classmates also attending the same subject as her. As they marched in, she couldn't resist peeking at where Rodolphus sat. She thought he would be long gone, having only stopped by to harass her and not actually attend class, but she balked at the sight of him tapping his scruffy shoe against the wooden floor and spinning a quill around his fingers.

Other students, too, noticed the addition in their class and tried their best not to stare or whisper too loudly. They were afraid of suffering the consequences if they angered Rodolphus Lestrange. Whatever the outcome, it wouldn't be much prettier than if faced with Bellatrix. Wisely, many ignored Rodolphus. The students lamented having both human terrors in their class. Bellatrix let out a sarcastic snort and rolled her eyes.

Professor Vervara bustled in, smoothing his hair and trying to keep his papers in his arms. He stopped at the sight of Rodolphus. "Mr. Lestrange. What a pleasant surprise to see you. I am so glad you've decided to turn a new leaf and finally dedicate your time to learning." Rodolphus did not answer, but smiled in response. It was funny how a smile was a happy thing, but looked rather menacing on Rodolphus' face.

Bellatrix kept her gaze fixed on Professor Vervara, her eyes narrowing with dislike. Her disdain for his cowardice and thoughts of how to argue against him once more covered all other notions. Temporarily, she forgot Rodolphus, his disturbing query, and the person in question who was staring at her from his seat behind.

**AN: I had so much fun writing this chapter. So, what did you think? This is the first bit of decent interaction between Bella and Roddy. Do you think they made an impression? I apologize once again for the loooong wait from my previous update, but I'm trying to make up for it by injecting quality Bella/Roddy scenes. Is it working? I'll try to update soon, but I can't promise anything. I am really busy, sorry. Anyway, flick me a review to let me know how it was. I'd love an opinion. Any opinion.**


	6. Of Social Idiocy

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah. _

Chapter Six:

Usually Rodolphus Lestrange was not one to do people favors. He was also not one to take a liking to other people. But the favor couldn't really be considered a favor; more of a business exchange. And his liking to Lucius Malfoy had also surprised him. Rodolphus had no friends. Even his brother, Rabastan, avoided him like the plague; as if afraid his older brother's reputation might rub off on him. Deciding that one way to approach Bellatrix was to prove himself not as worthless as she might assume, and actually attend his classes. He prowled his way through the corridors (trying not to notice the horrified groups of students scurrying out of his way) for his Charms class. It was later when another boy sat beside him, that he realized it was the Malfoy guy. Rodolphus smiled. It was rare for him to want a friend. "Malfoy, aren't you scared of me?"

Lucius didn't look at him. "I'm scared to death, Lestrange."

"Then how come you have the guts to sit here?"

"If you look around, there aren't any other spare seats."

At this, Rodolphus raised his head and gave a swirl with his eyes. Sure enough, the remaining desks were occupied. "Point ceded, Malfoy." And they sank into a silence. Professor Flitwick was a little taken aback at seeing Rodolphus, but quickly withdrew his astonishment and carried on with the lesson as a teacher should. The class passed uneventfully. Lucius dutifully scribbled down what notes he was required to take, and Rodolphus passed his time as usual: folding pieces of paper and tapping his foot. It was more than enough that he was attending class. Surely nobody expected him to partake properly in it too? As the bell rang (coupled with the usual rush of departing pupils), Lucius quietly gathered his belongings. Rodolphus, who had not bothered emptying (or probably even bringing) any supplies, lounged back in his chair and observed Lucius. "Malfoy, how come you're so fucking slow? Do you not see the empty classroom? All the other pupils are long gone."

"I don't like getting caught in the tide of overeager students. It's easier just to wait a few moments before the stampede is over. That's something I don't like about Hogwarts. It took me quite a while before I could get used to the loud bell when I first came here."

By this time, Lucius had packed up his respective books and things. Rodolphus jumped up as he did, the both of them walking out together.

"Malfoy, don't you have any friends?"

Lucius was very puzzled. If he didn't know better, he would say Rodolphus Lestrange was actually being friendly. "Of course I do. See? There's one over there!" Rodolphus looked around at Lucius' random throwaway gesture. "Where? I can't see anyone."

"Lucius, my dear friend, why are you with Rodolphus Lestrange?" drawled a sarcastic voice behind them.

"See, Lestrange, I actually am not a complete social outcast." Lucius gave Rodolphus a grin of victory.

Rodolphus eyed Severus with interest. "Well, you're…"

"Severus Snape" supplied the boy helpfully. He sounded a little irked. This was not lost on Rodolphus who smirked at him. "I'm meeting two guys that aren't going to back away screaming when they see me?"

"Actually, we are scared to death" said Severus. "We're just too masculine to reveal it."

Rodolphus laughed. "That's what Lucius said to me before. You're a funny pair. You" said he pointing to Lucius, "with your blonde hair and blue eyes and gullible expression. You" said he now pointing to Severus, "with your weedy looks and sarcasm. How did you ever get to be mates?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, it's lunchtime, isn't it? We've got plenty of time."

The two friends looked at each other in more than a little surprise. Was the great big bad boy of Hogwarts offering to eat lunch with them? He didn't seem to be that scary at all. _Maybe Lucius was right_ thought Severus. _Maybe he's actually a really nice person._

They suddenly looked to Rodolphus as he grabbed a few sparrows nearby, quicker than quick, and threw them out of the way so there was a small clearing for them to sit.

_And maybe pigs fly too._

(o) - O - (o)

"Bella! Bella! Bellatrix Black!"

Knowing full well who was screaming her name in frustration, Bellatrix chose not to acknowledge it. Instead, she sank her hands even deeper into her robes and hurried away. "Bella! I'll make a scene if you don't stop!" The caller sounded extremely angry. Wishing for no such aforementioned scene to play out, Bellatrix sighed and turned around. "What is it, Cissy?" Narcissa rushed forwards, a look of outrage crossing her face. She rammed her right fist into a pocket and pulled out a creased letter. "What on earth is this?"

Bellatrix blinked. Then, she spoke slowly, enunciating her words as if speaking to a three-year-old. "Well, Narcissa, I would say judging from its size and appearance, it is a letter." She raised her eyebrows at her younger sister. "Is it not obvious?"

Narcissa huffed. "I know perfectly well what it is. I was actually referring to the contents of the letter, my dear sister. What the hell did you tell father?" Bellatrix tutted. "Language, sister, language. We must not tarnish the Black name with your profanities."

"You're avoiding the topic."

"I am not."

"Look! You are right now!"

"This is a stupid argument that I have no wish to take part in."

"Hold it right there! What rights have you to tell Father about my private matters?"

"What rights? I am your older sister! I hold responsibility over you!"

"What kind of responsibility is it to be a tattletale and report every move of mine back to Father?"

"The responsibility to stop you from being hurt!"

"I won't be hurt!"

Narcissa's emotions were getting the better of her and thick drops of tears were clinging for dear life on her silvery eyelashes. She swallowed with difficulty and inhaled deeply. Bellatrix's eyed softened considerably. She reached forward and grasped one of Narcissa's lithe hands gently. "Cissy, Evan's not that good of a person. You shouldn't get entangled with him. You don't know him-"

"Oh, and you do?" she cut in. Angrily, she yanked her hand away from the light hold it was previously engaged in. "You don't know anything! Evan and I are important. We are unique. And nothing will drive us apart. Not you, not Father, and certainly not your maliciousness! We share something special!" With that she walked past her sister, her shoulder crashing hard into hers.

"So did I, Narcissa" murmured Bellatrix. But it was too late. Her sister was nary close enough to hear the whisper, just a gold shadow tracing the corridors.

(o) - O - (o)

He leaned back, an amused smile flittering across his face. Rodolphus was not easily amused.

"So you're this desperate for this girl? Who is she, Lucius?"

Lucius was turning a rather unflattering shade of red. He silently cursed the smirking Severus splayed out next to him for bringing up this sore topic.

"She's… she's…"

"Speak up, Lucius. My deafened eyes cannot hear you!" Rodolphus mocked him further by propping a hand up to cup his ear.

Exasperated and admitting defeat, Lucius threw up his hands. "You wouldn't know her."

"Well, she must be some girl for you to be stalking her and offering her tutorials."

"I wasn't stalking her" said Lucius defensively.

"It sounded like stalking to me. Speaking of stalking girls, at least you're not as desperate as some. Evan Rosier came up to me a few days earlier. Would you believe this? He wants to date Narcissa Black, but you know how she can't date before her sister Bellatrix does, right? He's going to pay me as long as I can get Bella to go out with me. But I must say, this plan is quite well thought out. I never pegged Rosier for the intellectual sort."

Lucius and Severus exchanged a dark look.

"What are you two making faces at?"

Lucius leaned forward conspiratorially. "Rodolphus, the girl I like is actually Narcissa Black."

Rodolphus blinked disbelievingly before letting out a hoot of laughter. "You're kidding! Hey, I thought you said I wouldn't know her! Who doesn't know Narcissa Black? Oh, you'd better get in quick before the Rosier dude takes her."

"Actually, we came up with that plan."

"What?"

Severus sat up, shoving back his oily hair. "We came up with the plan for you to date Bellatrix. But Lucius' money is frozen until he comes of age. We decided to approach Evan Rosier instead without telling him about how desperately in love Lucy is with Narcissa…"

He needn't say anymore. Rodolphus knew the rest. He laughed loudly, slapping Severus on the back with a painful _crack_! Severus winced in spite of himself.

"That's genius. Just pure, utter, _complete_ genius! You two are amazing, you are."

"So… you're not going to tell Evan?" asked Lucius, looking at the laughing boy.

Rodolphus controlled his laughter. He shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Lucy. My lips are sealed."

Lucius heaved a sigh of relief. Then he noticed Rodolphus' frown. "What's wrong?"

Rodolphus looked up. "I'm just unsure of how to proceed, you know? I asked Bellatrix out yesterday, but she turned me down before I even finished. I'm not sure we're on the best of terms. That girl's quite a handful."

"Well," began Severus, "what if you took her to a fabulous party, charmed the pants off her, and made her see you afresh?" Rodolphus chuckled. "I can do that, except there's no party I can take her to."

"What about the huge party we're having in the Slytherin common room tomorrow?"

Rodolphus looked surprised. "We're having a huge party tomorrow? I didn't know anything about it!"

"That's because it was just decided by me two seconds ago" answered Severus smugly.

"Dude, you don't get nearly enough credit you deserve."

"I know."

(o) - O - (o)

"So remember, Lucy, we must select careful ears. If we let word get out to anyone not in Slytherin, our plans will be crushed." Severus drilled the important basics into Lucius' skull.

Lucius gave him a reproachful glance. "Must you call me Lucy?"

"Yes, indeed I must."

"All right then. Let's spread the word."

They nodded curtly to each other once before heading off in different directions, keeping a keen eye for robes emblazoned with the telltale Slytherin symbol.

"Have you heard about the huge party tomorrow? It's in the common room."

"I heard there'll be free alcoholic beverages."

"Yeah, it's going to be enormous."

"It's just a crime if you do not attend."

"Maybe you can get a girl drunk enough to kiss you."

"Everyone's going to be there."

And by the end of the day, the whole of Slytherin knew about the absolutely colossal celebration to take place in the common room the next night. The two boys congratulated themselves on a job well done.

(o) - O - (o)

Lucius rapped the wooden table impatiently.

"Pay attention, Narcissa. You're not concentrating."

"But it's so boring!" whined she. "Why is Transfiguration so complicated and hard?"

"It wouldn't be so hard if you paid some attention instead of staring at your nails."

Narcissa smiled and held them up to the glowing library light. "They're pretty, aren't they? I painted them so carefully."

"Yes, they're pretty…" Lucius stared, transfixed at the slender, milky fingers twirling in the light, highlighted with a soft shade of peachy hue. Then, he shook his head. "Narcissa, please try to concentrate. We must get some work done or I won't have done my job of tutoring you."

"Hey, have you heard about the party tomorrow? I'm so excited. It's been a long time since my last ball. But I've never been to a party. Have you, Lucius?"

Lucius was staring at Narcissa, noting her animated chatter, her soft neck, arched gracefully, silky blonde tresses streaming down her back in straight strands. He realized then just how much he liked her. "Lucius? Lucius? Hello?" Narcissa waved a hand in front of his face. Lucius jumped. She smiled sweetly at him. "Lucius, I'm so tired. Can we finish this topic tomorrow?"

"You know, Narcissa, procrastinating is not the answer. Sooner or later, you're going to have to face it."

"I know, but I'm more of a later girl."

She smiled again, her pearly teeth winking at him. What more could the poor boy do except watch her pack up the books and sway out the library, the darkness inching forwards to claim her?

(o) - O - (o)

Bellatrix couldn't sleep. She threw off the covers, the night too hot for slumber. Glancing around and realizing opening the window for a breeze might wake her dozing dorm mates, she slipped on a coat and crept downstairs to spend the hour. The fire had died and glowing coals illuminated scattered ashes in the fireplace. She snuggled gratefully into a couch and rested her head against the back of the plush fabric. It was so nice to be alone. She felt a lot more sleepy here than in her room.

"Why, isn't that Miss Black?" queried a jeering voice.

Bellatrix jumped and placated her beating heart by rubbing circles on her chest. Rodolphus stepped out of the shadows he was engulfed in and advanced towards her. Bellatrix didn't move, but scooted farther away from him when he sat next to her on the couch. "Are you going to the party tomorrow, Bella?"

"No, it sounds boring. I have no wish to be caught up in the idiocy of teenage social life."

"But aren't you a teenager?" Rodolphus gazed at her deeply. Bellatrix felt slightly uncomfortable.

"I'd like to think of myself as more mature and insightful than most of who claim themselves 'teenagers' these days."

"You should go, just to share your views and opinions. You'll be a breath of fresh air in the stifling materialistic atmosphere of Hogwarts."

Bellatrix glanced at him. "When did you learn to speak so poetically?"

He shrugged, switching his gaze back to the cooling fire.

"I'll be expecting you, Bellatrix." Then, without further words, he swung himself off the couch and slunk back to whence he came. Bellatrix felt distinctly ruffled, her calm distorted by the exchanged conversation. She felt a curiosity towards Rodolphus' words and wondered at the strangeness of his behavior. He hadn't acted like the boy she thought she knew all about.

**AN: I'm so proud of myself, another update! Does this mean I deserve more reviews too? The next chapter will be the P-A-R-T-Y, so that will be fun to write. Let me know if the multiple scene changes are too much to handle and please, PLEASE just give me a review. Yes, I m begging. You can't see but I am on my knees (not literally). Anyway, let me know what you think. Any suggestions will be gladly welcomed. By the way, I stole some quotes to put in Bella and Roddy's midnight conversation. Anyone notice?**


	7. Party Hearty

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah._

Chapter Seven:

The party, the party, the party.

That was all that seemed to be talked about for the past day. All Slytherins huddled in groups and corners, whispering to each other excitedly about the enormous bonanza planned for when night struck. Girls discussed clothes and make up, while the boys sat around betting on their targets for the celebration. In the midst of the mix, Severus and Lucius managed to bribe a couple of unknowing second-years to steal some food for the party. Then, through means not understood (nor wished to be), Rodolphus acquired a large quantity of firewhiskey and butterbeer.

It was finally just moments away from the party's beginning. The Slytherins were all aware that the party would begin at midnight and end sometime in the morning.

Bellatrix lay on her back on her bed, staring at the creased white ceiling. She fancied that if she stared hard enough she could look through it and drift dreamily through the walls and into the starry night. The thought made her smile and close her eyes, happily cocooned in her fantasy. A gentle tap on her left shoulder dragged her back down. She opened her eyes unhappily.

It was Narcissa.

Bellatrix sighed and sat up. She patted the empty space next to her and Narcissa perched down hesitantly. "Bella, I'm so sorry. I was so angry at you and I-" She took a deep breath. A stray tear traced her cheekbone. Bellatrix softened. She reached forwards and held Narcissa as her blonde sister started weeping. "Oh, Bellatrix, I know you were just looking out for me, but I was so angry that you had gone and told father. I mean, it's my life and my business. I just wish people didn't always act like they had a stake in it too." Advice and harsh words strayed to the edge of Bellatrix's tongue, but she swallowed them back in, knowing that right now her sister just needed her to hug her tightly and stroke her beautiful hair, murmuring kindness in a lonely ear.

After a long time, Narcissa sat straight again, brushing away signs of sadness hurriedly. She smiled, more radiant than ever. "It's the party in half an hour. Aren't you excited, Bella?"

Bellatrix smiled warily. "I'm not going, Cissy."

Narcissa looked shocked. "What? But, you can't! This party is going to be huge! Every Slytherin will be there!" When she saw that her older sister was not to be so easily persuaded, she started pleading. "Bella, it's my first party! Everything will all be so new for me! What if someone gets me drunk or spikes my drink? What will I do without you there to protect me?" Her childish expression pouted upwards at Bellatrix and she felt her heart melt. Her thoughts rampaged to the image of Evan Rosier and what horrible actions he might take against her innocent sister. Begrudgingly, she nodded. Narcissa's face lit up. "Well, in that case, we'll have to do something about your hair and your face and… do you even know what you're going to wear?"

Before Bellatrix could protest, Narcissa had jumped off the bed and pounced at her wardrobe, searching for a suitable outfit.

"Narcissa, what are you doing?"

"I know you were pretty once, sister dear. But look at the state of you now. You're lucky such a beauty expert such as me is personally going to groom you."

"But I don't want to be groomed. I'm a witch, not a horse."

Blatantly ignoring her, Narcissa continued her hunt for various items. She checked the time. "Quick, Bella! We've only got twenty minutes left!"

(o) - O - (o)

"So far, so good" muttered Severus indistinctly.

Lucius walked up behind him. "All ready, Severus?"

He looked around at his best friend. "All ready, Lucy. I see that you're peeing your pants in excitement."

Lucius shuffled around uncomfortably. "I'm not."

At this, Rodolphus approached them. "Well, my two newly acquired acquaintances. The alcohol is ready, the music is on loud, the food is awaiting hungry mouths and we just need some guests to get this party down."

The blonde boy grinned at him whilst the dark-haired one turned around and snorted.

The clock struck midnight and a loud rumble vibrated from the dorm rooms.

It was time.

(o) - O - (o)

"Is Bellatrix even going to come?" asked Rodolphus suspiciously to Severus.

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you already spoke to the lady fair."

"Yes, but when has she ever listened to anyone's opinion?"

"That is true."

"Without Bellatrix, this party is pretty much useless. I mean, we organized it just so she'd get a new impression of me."

Rodolphus was betting his chances on this party. He knew his reputation wasn't the best, and if he wanted to win Bellatrix over, he certainly couldn't do it with the image he had now. If Bellatrix didn't show up, he'd have to regroup and start planning all over again. Silently, he cursed the girl for being so bothersome and hard to seduce.

(o) - O - (o)

Narcissa bounded down the steps, two at a time, before she frowned and realized there was no one behind her. She quickly ran back up and started tugging at a reluctant arm.

"Bella! Hurry up! The party's already started!"

A wavering voice spoke out from the shadows. "Cissy, I… I don't really feel like going out there. Why don't you just go and have fun without me? I'd feel much more at home if I could lie down on my bed with a good book."

"Bella, surely you are no stranger to such parties. I remember you used to attend them nineteen to the dozen. You know what they're like! You'd know about them even more than I do! Now, come on before people start noticing us and staring. You're making a scene."

"But Cissy, did you really have to make me wear these clothes? And do all those things to my hair? And my _face_? I mean, I thought I looked fine before. Now I just feel awkward."

Narcissa sighed impatiently and tapped a leather-capped foot.

"Come down now or else I shall drink myself into oblivion and submit my virtue to the next boy I see."

At this threat, Bellatrix decided that her sister needed her and no matter what cost, she would take care of her. Hesitantly she looped her arm around Narcissa's and the sisters journeyed down the stairs.

The party was busy enough and the music loud enough and the people drunk enough that nobody paid the slightest of attention to them. Bellatrix heaved a grateful sigh of relief. Narcissa patted her sister's arm and released their binding hands. She turned to leave when Bellatrix grasped her sleeve. "Where are you going?"

Narcissa smiled. "My friends are over there! I just want to say hello. Don't worry, I won't be far."

Bellatrix gave her a questioning look and Narcissa laughed, the silvery melody tinkling in her ears. "I promise I'll stick to butterbeer, and hold my drink at all times, and not talk to strange, drunk boys. Now can I go, please?"

With an unwilling shrug, Bellatrix let her sister wander off into the wild unknown.

"Bellatrix?"

She turned around, about the reprimand whoever it was that called her name for sounding so extremely drunk. Then, she stopped.

It was Evan Rosier.

And he _was_ extremely drunk.

He sauntered over to Bellatrix, hand making as if to caress her cheek and a wolfish smile on his face. "You look lovely tonight. What happened? Did you shed your ugly skin, finally? After all this time that you've been pining for me?" Bellatrix slapped his hand away. He laughed unkindly. "I'm sorry, Miss Black. Is that still a touchy subject for you?" He stumbled back a few steps and gave a wobbly bow before looking up, the disturbing smile still in place. Bellatrix gave him a disgusted glare and turned to walk away.

He shot out an arm and gripped her shoulder, preventing her from leaving. She pivoted back around and tried to pry off his grasp. "Let go of me, you filthy boy!" He laughed that horrible laugh again. "Filthy? You didn't used to think so." He stroked her hips suggestively and Bellatrix immediately retaliated by stomping hard on his foot. Evan howled in pain and spoke again, voice slurred with malice and rage.

"Your sister doesn't seem to think so either."

At his words, Bellatrix saw dark red and stepped forwards to hit him properly. He ducked away, eyes glinting with the large amount of alcohol consumed.

"Stay away from my sister."

Her words were laced with sufficient hate to make anybody quiver, but Evan was drunk enough to answer back.

"I can't guarantee she'll stay away from me."

Then, he melted into the sweaty crowd of bodies moving to the pumping beat of the music.

Bellatrix stood there for quite some time, chest heaving with revulsion and fear. _What would he do to Narcissa?_ But she already knew. He would use her and break her and hurt her beyond belief.

_Just like he did to me._

The old pain swelled up again and she suddenly remembered why she abstained from functions such as these, why she covered her body with large, baggy clothes, why she hardly washed her hair and encouraged it to flow scraggily over her face. Why she started to blend into the unwanted section and stay away from memories like this.

A tear welled dangerously from her eye and to keep it from falling, she grabbed the nearest bottle of firewhiskey, cracked open the top and chugged it down.

The taste burnt her throat and she felt like she was about to throw up.

But as suddenly as the pain came, it went, making her feel delightfully airy and trouble-free. She finished the bottle in a gulp and felt around for another one.

(o) - O - (o)

He had searched around for an hour and was feeling very worried. Rodolphus still had seen no sign of Bellatrix. With a resigned slump, he decided that she hadn't come. It was too much to hope for that she did. Severus sat down next to him, clutching a butterbeer. He offered Rodolphus one but he declined it. "I prefer the stronger stuff" stated he, much to the disgust of Severus.

"Severus, she's not here. What are we going to do? We need a new plan."

Rodolphus dragged a stray firewhiskey over and swilled the contents around and around the bottle, gaze transfixed by the swirling liquid.

Suddenly a large shout rose and they both turned to see that a large crowd had gathered around a table where someone was dancing on it. Severus snorted at the state of the dancing girl. Then, he did a double-take.

"Rodolphus, my friend. I think I found Bellatrix."

Eyebrows raised slightly, Rodolphus stood up to wander his eyes around. Silently, Severus tapped his shoulder and turned his direction to the drunk, dancing girl on the table. Rodolphus froze with shock.

He could hardly believe that the girl was Bellatrix. But undoubtedly, no matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, it was her.

She was not the same hideous girl he thought she was. In fact, she was far, _far_ from hideous. This Bellatrix had gleaming, bouncing, black hair streaming in waves over her shoulders and down her back. This Bellatrix had no oily strands obscuring her painfully beautiful face. This Bellatrix had the roundest, most almond-shaped brown eyes that quivered like melted chocolate on her porcelain complexion.

Gone were the baggy school robes. She wore low slung jeans and a simple white tank top, revealing a tiny waist and ample bosom.

Her lips, oh God, her lips. They were illuminated by the shimmering party lights, naked from placebo colors and unnatural glosses. Rodolphus watched her, crawling over the table and tossing her silky hair, his breath hitching in his throat.

She had once been a social butterfly.

The boys were catcalling and the girls narrowing their eyes at this marvelous transformation, disbelieving that Bellatrix Black could be this beautiful.

Suddenly, Bellatrix tripped over the edge of the table and sprawled excruciatingly on the common room carpet, her lustrous black locks shrouding her head. A hushed silence settled on the room, anxious at the condition she was in.

Rodolphus quickly raced forwards, his heart beating uncomfortably with foreign worry. He knelt down beside her and gently cupped her in his arms.

"Bellatrix? Bellatrix?"

She stirred and her eyes fluttered open. Then, she sat up, holding her head. A relieved sigh collected around the room and the people resumed their activities, moving on from the scene.

Bellatrix blinked a few times before a giggle escaped her lips. She clapped her hands lopsidedly over her mouth and looked guiltily over to Rodolphus.

"That was fun! I want to do it again!" Her words were blurred together and giggles began filling her breathing.

Rodolphus carefully helped her into a standing position, his arms stopping her knees from buckling and hurtling back onto the carpet. "I think you're a little concussed. Perhaps you'd better sit down."

Obediently, Bellatrix allowed Rodolphus to seat her on an empty couch beside a passionately entwined couple in a lock-like embrace. Rodolphus shoved them off with an irritated hand and the couple collapsed to the floor, not stirring from their actions.

Rodolphus returned his attention back to Bellatrix who had managed to control her giggling and was now looking around for another bottle of alcohol. When she located one and started raising it to her lips, he tugged it out of her grasp, finding it difficult to look at her reproachful gaze and pouting lips. He set the bottle down and looked at her.

She was eyeing him strangely. He had only a moment to attempt to decipher the meaning when she curled two shapely calves around his thighs and pulled his face close to hers. Fighting the strong urges, Rodolphus quickly freed himself from her grip and pulled himself away, his breathing erratic and quickened.

"Bellatrix, you're drunk. We can't. You don't know what you're doing."

"Yes I do." With that, she reached for him again but he stopped her.

"We can't. You'll regret this tomorrow,"

All at once, her expression darkened and angry tears sprouted down her cheeks.

"I'm not pretty enough, is that it? Do you find it so disgusting to kiss me? Am I that loathsome?"

She gave him no time to deny this before she flounced off from the couch and stomped upstairs to her dormitory.

Rodolphus knew he had done the right thing.

So why was it that he was feeling so much regret?

**AN: The party! I loved writing this chapter and worked really hard on it. So many happy, happy Bella/Roddy moments. For all the people that thought I went a bit overboard on the "hideous" Bella description, I'm sorry. But see, I made it up to you! Bella is not hideous at all (as I have made clear in this chapter), but merely hiding her gorgeousness. Sorry if that was a little clichéd. I couldn't help myself. Did you enjoy the party? It's not completely over yet. There's more to finish in the next chapter! So let me know, was it good? Was it bad? What can I do to improve? I'm waiting for the reviews to roll in!**


	8. Aftermath

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah._

Chapter Eight:

It was a tiring activity, attempting to locate someone in the midst of crushing bodies crammed inside a small common room. Lucius reflected on this miserably as he circled the party wearily for the umpteenth time. Still, there was no sight of Narcissa. Too often would a flash of gold hit him and he'd rush like a madman towards the light before realizing it was a stray student's watch or goblet. It was probably time to give up and retire to bed. After all, he did have school tomorrow and it was getting late.

Too stubborn to feel defeated, yet too tired to continue, Lucius ambled slowly towards the stairs, preparing himself for a night's sleep drenched with dissatisfaction.

Then, he heard a giggle. _That laugh sounds familiar_, thought he. His head turned ever so slightly, hope dawning upon his face.

Narcissa was perched on a stool, a bottle of alcohol in her left hand and a friend at her right. "Oh, Delphinus, everything's going so well! That Malfoy boy is twisted so thoroughly around my little finger. He probably thinks I'm so stupid, but isn't that part of my charm? I learn more this way if people underestimate my abilities."

Her friend nodded obediently.

Lucius' throat tightened. His stomach twisted and he inched closer, hoping not to hear what he was about to.

"I overheard him and that horrid, greasy Snape boy talking to Rodolphus Lestrange about their plan. They should learn to converse in softer voices when speaking about a secret plan. It is actually rather brilliant, though. But really, I'd never go out with such a goody-goody like Lucius Malfoy! I'm putting up with his ridiculous advances as long as Lestrange dates my sister and gets her out of the way. Then I can finally be with Evan! Isn't it ideal?"

Narcissa chattered flamboyantly, her bottle's contents spluttering out of the glass due to her excited hand motions. Her friend continued to nod, glass-eyed and appraising. Lucius couldn't breathe. He couldn't think and he couldn't feel. Dark betrayal seeped into his system and rage took over. His fingernails marked angry welts over his palm as he curved away, his presence unknown, unseen and unheard.

He needed a drink so very, very badly.

By the time Rodolphus had discovered him, Lucius was well into his third bottle of Fire whiskey.

"Lucius! What the hell are you doing?"

Rodolphus tugged Lucius to his feet, snatching the bottle out of his slippery hands.

Lucius snarled, his gentle demeanor devoured by the fury consuming him.

"Give it back, Rodolphus. I'm not drunk enough yet and I swear I'll punch you until your head's all shattered over this filthy carpet."

Rodolphus groaned. "First Bellatrix and now you. How many drunks and melodramas can I deal with in one night? Pull yourself together, mate."

Lucius replied by making a clumsy grab for the bottle.

Taking pity on him, Rodolphus led him towards a semi-clear area. "Why don't you tell me what's going on? Then we might find a solution."

"Narcissa's using me."

"What?" Rodolphus' eyebrows arched high into his messy fringe. Lucius took advantage of his surprise and lunged for the bottle's neck, successful relinquishing his alcohol.

"You heard me loud and clear. She's using me."

"What do you mean? How did you find out?"

"I heard her talking with her girlfriend. She overheard us that day when Severus and I were telling you about our great plan." He laughed bitterly, taking another swig of the whiskey.

Rodolphus decided now was not the time to intervene as it might actually be quite hazardous if he attempted to stop Lucius, be he Rodolphus Lestrange or not.

"Isn't it ironic?" Lucius swiveled his unfocused eyes to Rodolphus.

"What is, mate?"

"We're using Rosier to get to Narcissa, but she's using us to get to him."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. But I do think it's high time I gave up on her. She's probably no good for me. Besides, there are plenty of other good-looking girls that would die to marry a Malfoy." His miserable face almost made Rodolphus laugh, but he managed to stop himself just in time.

"Look at you, Lucius. Seriously, you're so in love with her you couldn't give up on her if you tried. Why don't you save yourself the bother and just admit that no other girl would do, no matter how good-looking they might be."

Lucius didn't answer but stared moodily at his toes.

"Don't give up on her. Don't give up hope. I mean, look at me! Do you think it's easy to seduce Bellatrix Black? But I'm still fighting the fight even though it's as hard as hell because if I keep climbing, the mountain will be conquered eventually."

The blonde boy snorted, scraping his long hair backwards with his hand. "Since when did Rodolphus Lestrange get so wise and philosophical?"

"I have my moments."

And the two boys stood beside each other, lost in their own thoughts about the two girls that were impossible to charm.

(o) - O - (o)

"Narcissa! Baby!"

A drunken Evan stumbled towards her, his arms splayed out, ready for a hug.

Narcissa had barely time to register what was happening before he flung himself at her, squeezing her tightly in his embrace. She struggled helplessly.

"Stop it, Evan. You're hurting me."

He laughed and stepped back. "I'm hurting you? Cut the crap, Narcissa. We both know you're not that innocent. You've been giving me the glad eye for the past few weeks. What say we go upstairs and get to know each other better?"

She edged away in horror, crystal tears welling up in her round, blue eyes.

Evan just laughed louder and groped for her, pulling her by the hair and forcing his unwelcome mouth onto her quivering one. She tried to push him away without much success.

Suddenly, Narcissa was free once more. Another person had flung Evan off her and thrown him to the ground.

It was Lucius. He had never looked so angry or so fearsome before. Narcissa swore that it was as if he had grown a few inches taller and towered over the hunched up Evan. His grey eyes glinted darkly in the party lights. "Don't you dare touch her, Rosier. Do you understand?"

Evan laughed, blood dribbling from his nose. "Why can't I touch her? I'm paying for her. And she's damn expensive, too."

Narcissa felt more tears come as she heard what a prostitute Evan made her out to be.

At his words, Lucius grabbed the boy by the collar and dragged him to his feet. He slung Evan against the wall and swung a long, hard punch at his abdomen. Evan groaned and doubled up with pain, slumping to the carpet.

Onlookers had now gathered around the scene and some boys had the gall to yell, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

They were quickly silenced by Rodolphus' glare and menacing raised fist.

By now, Evan had recovered enough to retaliate. Lucius suffered agonizing blows and he clutched his wounds excruciatingly. Narcissa covered her face in horror as the two boys blew blood all over the floor and continued on.

Feeling that enough was enough and that the party had utterly spun out of control, Rodolphus stepped in and twisted the boys apart, one in each hand. "You two fuckers are making the girls scared. I think it's time you sorted out your differences in a more civilized manner." Then, he let go of them and faced the silent crowd. "Party's over, people. Clean up and get your arses up to the dorms. Anyone that doesn't help…" Rodolphus trailed off, his eyes narrowing and his hands bunching up into fists. No words needed to be said. Everyone knew what he would do.

They scrambled over each other to collect rubbish, empty bottles and streamers over the floor. Evan gave Lucius one last snarl before supporting himself by the wall and crawling to the dorms. Lucius leant his head against the wall, wiping blood off his face with a torn sleeve. A presence knelt down beside him but he was too much in pain to turn around and see who it was. He assumed it was Rodolphus.

"Go away, Rodolphus. I'm not in the mood for your insults."

A silky hand scraped gently at some dried blood crusted at the side of his mouth. Surprised, he overcame the throbbing and looked to see who it was.

It was Narcissa.

They stared at each other for a while, the silence empowering them. Then, Lucius struggled to his feet and started to leave. Narcissa stopped him. "Lucius, I'm sorry." He didn't look at her, but spoke. "I'm so disappointed, Narcissa. Not just at myself, but at you. This is strange because I am rarely so disappointed in other people. I believed you and loved you and threw my heart at you. But you couldn't find the common decency to tell me the truth." He finally faced her, grey eyes shining with courage and maturity and emotions Narcissa had never seen before,

"You used me, Narcissa. And I know that your world is too perfect and pretty for you to understand what being used feels like, but it's pretty crap. And yet, in spite of it all, I still love you. Why are you doing this to me? Why can't I-"

But Lucius never managed to finish his sentence. Because at that moment, Narcissa had reached up, pulled Lucius towards her and kissed him deeply. Lucius froze with shock. Narcissa didn't pull away.

And they stayed like that for some time before Rodolphus shouted, "Oi, lovebirds! Get a room!"

Lucius decided, screw Rodolphus.

(o) - O - (o)

The morning was no friend.

Bellatrix tried to comprehend what was swirling inside her consciousness before sitting up sharply and searching for the time.

"I'm late!"

Hurriedly, she ignored the hammering headache drumming inside her temples and rummaged for her uniform. This was just perfect. Professor Vervara had more excuses to instruct her now. And usually she was the first one to class!

She had no time to do much or even eat before she grabbed her bag and rushed off to class. She charged through the door breathlessly, stopping Professor Vervara in mid-lecture. He looked at her strangely for a few moments before signaling for her to take a seat.

It wasn't until Bellatrix had reached her designated desk that her hands flew to her hair. Sure enough, they were as clean and glossy as Narcissa had groomed them to be for the party yesterday. She quickly shook her hair and covered the front of her face, feeling much safer under the shield of hair blocking her vulnerability from the outside world.

"Nice hair" whispered a voice behind her.

Bellatrix turned to glare at whichever student with a death wish that had uttered such a comment.

Rodolphus Lestrange smiled cheekily back, his face illuminated with sunshine from the rain streaked window.

Flashes of last night mechanically typed away in her brain and Bellatrix quickly turned around, swinging her hair even closer as to veil her mortification.

Behind her, Rodolphus frowned. It seemed that Bellatrix had not been so completely wasted last night as to forget it.

It was probably safe to say that the party had not helped his wooing of Miss Black at all.

**AN: I know, I know. This chapter was super short. I'm sorry for not updating in quite some time. This chapter was more LN than BR, but BR is having some sweet moments in the next chapter. And who completely loves the fact that Evan Rosier got beat up by Lucius? I'll consider updating again soon if some people review! That wasn't so subtle, was it?**


	9. Unexpected Game Plan

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah._

Chapter Nine:

At Hogwarts, Quidditch was a serious business. Bellatrix never knew why, though she wondered about it often enough. It seemed like madness and adrenaline and a useless waste of time to her. She had yet to turn up at a game and scoffed at the mindless supporters of the sport.

Sadly, her sister was one of those mindless supporters.

The match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff was coming up. Quidditch practices were becoming rifer and the field was battled over by both teams. The Slytherin team members had taken to rising early in order to acquire the field for their training.

Rodolphus Lestrange, though a truant and delinquent at most times, was a talented and avid Quidditch player. He had managed to gain the coveted spot of Keeper in his second year as well as the crowd's admiration. Although he hardly turned up for classes (although curious students noted his regular presence for the past few days), he could be relied upon for every game.

Two days before the game, disaster struck. Alecto Carrow (the male counterpart of the infamous Carrow twins), one of the team's chasers, was engaged in a fierce fight with Sirius Black. As a result, Carrow ended up in the Hospital Wing with a broken nose, a week's worth of detentions and the inability to play. The team's captain, Walden McNair, was at his wit's ends.

"How the hell are we going to find a new chaser in two days?"

It was then that Rodolphus convinced Lucius to try out. Dazed still with the blossoming romance between him and Narcissa Black, Lucius didn't think twice before accepting. And he made it. Lucius was surprised for he hadn't the faintest clue how he came to be in this position. Rodolphus congratulated him heartily whilst Severus rolled his eyes and muttered something about being a sheep and following the crowd. Then, he saw that Rodolphus had signed him up to be the game's commentator. Too civilized to attack him physically, Severus resorted to verbal jabs and sighs of great reluctance.

Rodolphus smiled at himself for dragging his two new friends into the wonderful world of Quidditch.

At this present point, Narcissa was spending some quality time with her sister, Bellatrix.

"Bella, have you seen Andy around lately?"

Head closeted in a thick textbook, Bellatrix's reply came muffled. "No, I've barely seen her for the past few days. I'm too busy and she never comes to find me like you do."

Flinging herself onto her back, Narcissa twirled a stray lock of hair in her fingers. "It's strange. She can't seem to meet my eyes when I pass her in the corridors. She mutters a hasty excuse and leaves before I can even say hello. What's wrong with her? Does she have some nasty secret?"

Bellatrix lay the book down and looked at her youngest sister.

"Now, Cissy. Andy is probably the most sensible out of us. We don't have to worry about anything."

Narcissa shrugged and sat up. "Whatever you say, sister dear."

When Bellatrix gathered up her essay and writing equipment Narcissa leant towards her. "Bella, the game's tomorrow. Are you going?"

"Cissy, I haven't even set foot on the Quidditch field before."

"You should go! It would be so exciting! Your first game! Did I tell you that Alecto Carrow can't play, so Lucius is the stand-in chaser? I'm sure he'll be brilliant. We must go to support him!"

Bellatrix gave her a pointed look. "Narcissa, may I remind you that Evan Rosier is the seeker of the Slytherin team? Are you sure you want to see that faggot again?"

At the mention of Rosier, Narcissa grimaced.

"Bella, my loathing for that boy is overridden by my like for Lucius. Even though we aren't going out (would you get a move on so I can date, Bella?) we do feel some great degree of affection for each other. Besides, everyone has been training so hard."

After a good few hours, Narcissa had successfully persuaded her sister to attend the Quidditch match. It was set for the next day.

(o) - O - (o)

"Lucy, I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

The three of them were sitting beside the Lake, admiring the peaceful tranquility of the water and calming their minds, psyching themselves up for the match tomorrow.

"What do you mean, Rod?"

At Severus' and Rodolphus' insistence at calling him by his girly nickname, Lucius had sook revenge by shortening their names also. To his dismay, neither 'Sev' nor 'Rod' seemed to mind. The new nicknames didn't sound as bad as Lucy, anyway. Still, it had stuck and all seemed at ease.

"I mean that Bellatrix hasn't even looked at me since the party! How the hell am I supposed to seduce her? This is proving very difficult."

Lucius yawned. "I'm all out of ideas, Rod. Why don't you ask Sev?"

Rodolphus scowled and tapped Lucius' forehead hard. "It's all good for you. You've got Narcissa's adoring gaze at last. But Bellatrix can't even stand to be in the same room with me. Rosier's only paid me half my due and I need to get the job done to get the other."

Severus looked at him. "Rosier's still paying you? Why? Didn't Narcissa publicly reject him as a sexual predator at the party? Why hasn't he given up yet?"

"Beats me," said Rodolphus, shrugging. "All I know is that he's paying me money to get a job done and I'm trying to do it. And if I can catch Bellatrix Black, Lucius will be better off with Narcissa too, wouldn't he?"

The logic making sense, all three proceeded to still and ponder their next move in this intricate game of life.

(o) - O - (o)

Game day.

It was here.

The Slytherin team huddled together, discussing tactics and strategy. Lucius was feeling a lot more nervous than he let on and he wondered absently at how Rodolphus could seem so calm.

Meanwhile, Narcissa led her sister towards the seats. She was dressed in a flattering outfit of silver and green while Bellatrix wore a scowl and her customary sack. Narcissa had protested at this, but decided not to push her luck lest Bellatrix not come at all.

The blistery wind rushed at their coats and their teeth chattered at the cold. Bellatrix silently cursed Merlin for bestowing such windy weather for this outside activity.

The game started.

Crowds roared and goals scored evenly. Both teams were squarely matched. Amos Diggory, the keeper for the Hufflepuff team was doing a remarkable job. Rodolphus was keeping up, though, and wished sincerely that the opposition wasn't so hard to beat. Lucius lunged for the Quaffle and aimed it into one of the circular hoops. In a bored tone, Severus announced more points for Slytherin. Narcissa jumped for joy and blew Lucius a kiss when his eyes scraped across the stands.

Bellatrix quickly pulled her sister back down, reminding her of her Black heritage and ladylike manners. Narcissa just laughed.

"Sister dear, doesn't Rodolphus look dashing today?"

Narcissa tugged at her sister's sleeve, gesturing towards the dark-haired keeper, maintaining his balance effortlessly and glancing warily around the field.

Bellatrix chose to ignore this comment and staunchly looked away.

It didn't seem to end. Both teams were scoring evenly, and the seekers circled the pitch like hawks. There was no sign of the Golden Snitch. Whoever caught the Snitch at this point would win the game for their team. Privately, both sisters agreed that Rosier was probably too poor-sighted for the job and a bad choice for the position.

Then, Evan rushed towards the ground with surprising speed. He fell off his broom with a painful _crack!_ The spectators were silent. Their eyes gazed unblinkingly at the figure struggling on the ground. He stood and raised his hand. A flash of light quivered in his palm and elation erupted from the Slytherins.

They had won.

Rodolphus touched ground, his smile uncontained. Then, he saw Bellatrix. She was like a little dark cloud in the midst of all the happiness and that made him laugh. Beside her, Narcissa was screaming and yelling and waving at Lucius. Bellatrix just looked like she'd rather be anywhere but here.

A stroke of brilliance suddenly struck Rodolphus. He mounted his broom once more and slid out his wand, concealed in the back of his robes. "Sonorus" he murmured.

The crowd hushed expectantly, looking up at him and wondering what the resident bad-boy would do next. At the quiet, Bellatrix glanced up. She narrowed her eyes when she caught sight of Rodolphus. Funnily, she could have sworn he was looking straight at her. But it was impossible to see her in the midst of all the people, wasn't it?

"Bellatrix Black. This is for you" yelled Rodolphus, his magnified voice streaming a roar over the crowd's heads.

They all turned towards Bellatrix who, for once in her life, was blushing a subtle tinge of scarlet. She shrank back involuntarily, only to be held fast by her grinning sister.

_You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you.  
You'd be like Heaven to touch.  
I wanna hold you so much.  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I'm alive.  
You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you._

"Mr. Lestrange!" barked Professor McGonagall. "What in Merlin's name are you doing? Come down here at once!"

Rodolphus promptly ignored her and continued singing loudly, his eyes never leaving Bellatrix's figure. She hid her shame in her curtain of hair, her sister laughing and clapping loudly.

_Pardon the way that I stare.  
There's nothing else to compare.  
The sight of you leaves me weak.  
There are no words left to speak,  
But if you feel like I feel,  
Please let me know that it's real.  
You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you._

By this time, the school's marching band had caught up with the act and the leader instructed the band to provide the backing music. Professor McGonagall looked like she might burst a blood vessel. "Mr. Lestrange! This is a final warning! Stop this behavior at once!"

_I love you, baby,  
And if it's quite alright,  
I need you, baby,  
To warm a lonely night.  
I love you, baby.  
Trust in me when I say:  
Oh, pretty baby,  
Don't bring me down, I pray.  
Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay  
And let me love you, baby.  
Let me love you._

At the sound of Rodolphus Lestrange, school bad-boy, singing these foolish words to her, Bellatrix couldn't help it anymore. In spite of her embarrassment, she threw back her head and laughed. Her girlish chuckle was like kindling that fed to Rodolphus' fire.

_You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you.  
You'd be like Heaven to touch.  
I wanna hold you so much.  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I'm alive.  
You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you._

Professor McGonagall had started telling some of the Hufflepuff players to fetch Rodolphus with angry hand movements. They nodded fearfully, not sure if they were more frightened of the teacher or the singing Rodolphus hovering on his broom in the sky.

_I love you, baby,  
And if it's quite alright,  
I need you, baby,  
To warm a lonely night.  
I love you, baby.  
Trust in me when I say:  
Oh, pretty baby,  
Don't bring me down, I pray.  
Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay.._

At the finish of the song, the school burst into applause, hoots were thrown into the air, Bellatrix laughed like she hadn't laughed before, and the two Hufflepuff beaters flew towards Rodolphus, wrenching him down. He dodged them quickly and shouted some last words towards Bellatrix's general direction.

"Bellatrix Black! Forgive me for being an utter cad!"

The two Beaters grasped Rodolphus by the arms and one of them silenced him with his wand. Rodolphus' yells could no longer be heard booming across the pitch.

It was complete chaos.

Professor McGonagall strode towards the three students when they reached the ground, her fury glistening in the air.

"Detention, Mr. Lestrange! Detention!"

**AN: Well, that was quite enjoyable to write. I do so love my Bella/Roddy. Anyway, it's been a while since my last update, and I apologize. Also, this chapter was a little on the short side, so forgive me. If you have any complaints or inquiries, just let me know. I'm trying my best to follow the 10 Things I Hate About You plot, but it's been a while since I last saw the movie. Some things in my fic might not make sense, but please attempt to ignore those. Oh, the song is 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' if you didn't know that already. It also doesn't belong to me.**


	10. Sifting Hair Through Fingers

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah._

Chapter Ten:

Rodolphus was not a good kid, he knew that. Everyone in Hogwarts knew that. He had seen his fair share of detentions. But never once had he felt such discomfort and anxiety and pure worry. He had only ever felt laziness and boredom. Now, he was wondering desperately if his sudden plan of attack had worked. If Bella didn't forgive him, he could kiss Evan's money and Lucius' chance with Narcissa goodbye.

The day was sunny outside. Rodolphus couldn't gazing longingly at the whispering breeze and the drifting billows. He never realized how much of an outside person he was until he was caged as so.

Professor Vervara was supervising him. It wasn't that unpleasant. He didn't seem to find much pleasure in torturing him and had just given him some lines to write out while he sat there reading some magazine about…

Actually, what was the magazine about? As far as Rodolphus could see, the cover contained something suspiciously resembling a naked breast. Was Professor Vervara into porn? He shuddered in disgust before quickly turning back to his parchment.

BANG!

A gust of wind blew through the open door. It was Bellatrix, standing in the doorway, baggy robes billowing threateningly. Rodolphus felt in awe of her.

Professor Vervara looked up from his (dirty?) magazine with a start. "Miss Black?" Rodolphus noted his quick flick of hand to hide the magazine under the desk. Maybe he _was_ reading a dirty magazine. He suppressed another shudder.

To their surprise, Bellatrix donned a sweet smile on her face. It was… entrancing.

Rodolphus could feel the calm before the storm.

She edged her way seductively in front of Professor Vervara. His eyes were unable to leave her. "Professor, I have something vital to discuss with you." Bellatrix rotated around so the Professor had his back to the door… and Rodolphus. She smiled again, looked over Vervara's shoulder and shot Rodolphus a meaningful glare. Suddenly, everything was clear.

"Miss Black, whatever you wish to discuss with me, I'm sure will be more appropriate when I am not occupied with detention." Vervara made an effort to tear his gaze from Bellatrix. She quickly stepped closer. Vervara froze. He was immobile from Bellatrix's intoxicating Madame de Cheberre perfume. She gazed deeply into his eyes and swiped an indignant hand behind his head, motioning for Rodolphus to leave.

He attempted to do so soundlessly. It was hard going.

When his chair inadvertently scraped the wooden planks of the floor, Vervara seemed to come to and realize something was amiss. His head snapped to the side. His eyes would land on Rodolphus any moment. They would be caught! Bellatrix, the model student, would be in trouble! It was unthinkable!

But something even more unthinkable happened.

Bellatrix grasped the professor's flabby chin and yanked his face towards her once more. Then, with lightning speed, she stepped back and called, "I need to discuss this, Professor" before pulling up her blouse. Rodolphus fled the room, but not before catching sight of the cover of the fallen magazine. It was topless witch. He was unable to suppress his shudder this time.

He just got the hell out of there and prayed the enthralling image of Bellatrix clad in her lacy purple brassiere would not remain in his mind forever. It was too much for him to bear and he forced himself to sink against the wall in order to retain some semblance of normalcy. It seemed to work.

That was, until the lady in question stumbled out of the classroom, a pretty flush in her cheeks and the first genuine smile he had ever seen on her face.

"What are you waiting for, Lestrange? Let's go! Hurry!"

He needed no telling twice. Unknowingly, his hand found a path into hers and they ran off, scampering into the sunlight like two naughty children caught with their fingers in the cookie jar.

They ran and ran and ran. Before they knew it, they were standing in the middle of Hogsmeade, panting breathlessly and wondering what on earth they were doing.

Bellatrix faced him. "I forgive you."

Startled, Rodolphus turned to look at her.

"You forgive me?"

"Yes, well, after your amorous and disturbing display on the Qudditch field in front of the whole school, I decided that I will forgive you. You've suffered enough humiliation."

Rodolphus groaned. "I really did just sing 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' in front of the entire Hogwarts population, didn't I? What was I thinking?"

She reached up and cupped his chin. He was surprised at how silky they felt against his skin. "You were thinking about nothing like you usually do. You are an idiot, Rodolphus. And that is why I forgive you."

Then, she jumped away, laughing softly, and twirled off into the distance.

She called him Rodolphus.

And that was when he smiled and chased after her.

(o) - O - (o)

Life was pretty good.

Well, for Lucius at the moment, it was really good.

Considering he was encased in a broom closet that smelled musty and like rat fur, he should have actually been rather miserable. But he overlooked the smell and the fact that really the cupboard could hold only one broom, two buckets and a person at the most because Narcissa was unbuttoning his shirt at a ferocious speed and hungrily sucking on his neck. She was also surprisingly limber, which was good because otherwise there was no way they'd both fit inside.

After the Quidditch game, after Rodolphus' fascinating little display, a pert blonde outline had hurtled into his arms and he was pleased to see it was Narcissa and not some stray golden cannonball intent on killing him. She had hugged him tightly, murmured her congratulations at winning the game, and then announced that a huge celebration party was to take place in the Slytherin common room.

This idea was met with a roar of approval.

By this time, Rodolphus had been dragged off to detention by a very angry looking Professor McGonagall. Lucius decided he could fend for himself. He also noted the absence of Narcissa's black haired sister. A kiss from Narcissa wiped all trace of sanity or thought from his mind.

But a kiss turned into kisses. And the kisses turned into rubbing and panting and other inappropriate behavior not suitable for first years to view. So they managed to cram themselves into the first broom cupboard they saw (well, all right, felt) in order to escape virgin eyes.

They never made it to the party.

Blindly, he wondered how he had managed to climb from a loser newcomer that harbored a useless crush against Hogwart's princess to the princess's kissing companion (technically, they weren't dating because Rodolphus had not yet managed to reel in Miss Bella). He decided not to pursue the ponder when Narcissa started nibbling his left ear.

It was hard to think in a situation such as this.

(o) - O - (o)

Rodolphus had not realized Bellatrix could run so fast. It was a long chase before he finally managed to catch up with her. Her eyes sparkled with renewed vigor and the jog had tainted her lips a pleasant shade of crimson. He couldn't stop staring at those lips.

It really was a nice day; too nice to be jogging, as a matter of fact. So the two teenagers shed their robes. Rodolphus considered just leaving it there, but Bellatrix (as rational as ever) argued that waste was disgusting and that her name was sewn into it so they would get busted if the clothing were to be discovered. He reluctantly agreed to drape the robes over his arm.

He couldn't help seeing Bellatrix in a new light as she skipped happily before him. Her hair, clean from the party, bounced gaily in the shimmering afternoon heat. Her waist, now visible from the ruffling peals of wind that streamed her blouse to her skin seemed smaller than ever. When she turned her head to grin widely at him, he almost stopped breathing. She was even more beautiful than at the party.

And Rodolphus suddenly realized why.

She was free and unhindered by the worries that were consuming her. It was too early in their relationship (or, what counted as a relationship) for him to wonder at what her worries were, but he admired her carefree beauty that fluttered through the breeze and trickled a warm journey right to his very heart.

He caught her hand and led her into Madam Puddifoot's. It was quaint and very… pink, but too many teachers drank at the Three Broomsticks. The barmaid might recognize them and report two truants. The Hog's Head was unspeakably dirty. So, it was to the nearest (and cleanest) café they went.

As for Bellatrix, she was shocked at how happy she was. In fact, this feeling had not returned to her since…

Evan.

But, she thought resolutely, this is different. I have no responsibilities to uphold. There are no strings attached. I can just be me.

Rodolphus pulled out her chair for her. This pleasantly churned a series of gratitude and astonishment in her. So he was a gentleman after all!

Their ordered drinks came and a comfortable silence descended upon them. It was at this moment that Bellatrix truly realized how bizarre the situation was. She, a model student, had just flashed her most hated professor, then proceeded to bunk the rest of school with the school's resident bad boy. And she was enjoying it!

Even as she wondered what was wrong with her she couldn't help the smile stretching across her face.

In the sunlight, she watched Rodolphus shift uncomfortably on the velvety stool. She wanted to laugh, but any sudden movement or noise might alert him to the fact that she was avidly observing. She felt like a hunter watching a glorious tiger, afraid that a motion might drive him away.

Suddenly, he stood up. "You know, Bellatrix. I don't feel like being contained today. Let's leave and find adventures outside with the wind."

She blinked and took his proffered hand. Somewhere along the way, linking palms with Rodolphus Lestrange had ceased being strange. And that was strange in itself.

"Okay."

And they were off (well, after paying for their drinks. They weren't criminals) in the blustery draft, shouts and laughter floating through the clouds, joys rising higher than the sky. Their sins and decadence melted away. They were found and innocent once more. They were in high spirits.

And when they looked at each other, they found a quickening in their heartbeats and footsteps. If they didn't know better, they'd say they genuinely were falling in love.

But they knew better.

After endless rounds of darting between cobbled street ways and thoroughly investigating the whole of Hogsmeade, the rays of the glinting sun was finally wavering and the two were lying on a park bench, unwilling to return to the world of failure and destruction and troubles.

Rodolphus sifted her hair between his fingers and marveled at its glossy quality. She just closed his eyes and marveled at how good it felt.

"Bellatrix."

"Hmm?"

She was content enough to let down her guard and allow her eyelids to flicker shut.

"Will you go to the Christmas Formal with me?"

Her eyes snapped open with a vengeance. And her innocence fell away like a cloak. She sat up, her suspicions piercing an unhappy arrow through her contentment. She had been in the game too long not to question sudden motives.

"Why?"

He shrugged, but inside, his mind was splintering. He could feel her slipping away.

"Because I want to take you?"

"No, Rodolphus."

And with that, she scrambled off the bench, disillusions firmly woven back out of place, robes draped once more around her delicate frame, eyes too shadowed to meet his gaze.

He had proceeded too quickly.

"Bella!" called he.

But it was too late. She was no more than a circle of leaves trailing forlornly after her trembling steps.

-

**AN: I know, it's a long wait and a short chapter. I really wanted to write this chapter, and end it, just right. It was lovely to finally (FINALLY) get some sweet Bella/Roddy moments. And forgive my small Lucy/Cissy intervention in between. I love my blondes and it is vital to see the progress in their relationship also, right? I hoped you liked this chapter and I hope the long wait was worth it.**


	11. The Betrayal

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare's works or 10 Things I Hate About You. Please don't sue me, blah blah blah._

Chapter Eleven:

_Dearest Papa,_

_As you know, the formal is approaching. I understand your rule about my dating, but I would like to ask for your permission to allow another boy to take me to the formal. We are not in an official relationship as Bella has not yet found her significant other. However, this boy - Lucius Malfoy - is a true gentleman who would never take advantage of me and always treat me with respect. The Hogwarts Christmas Formal is a serious event and it would look foolish if I were to attend it by myself._

_I received full marks for my last Transfiguration test (purely because Lucius was tutoring me) and have been working very hard on my studies. I assure you I am not tarnishing the Black name with any impropriety. Stay well. I look forward to receiving your reply._

_Always with affection,_

_Narcissa._

(o) - O - (o)

Every girl was discussing their dresses and dance partners. Nobody could concentrate on their studies. For once, Narcissa found no urge to take part in the gossip, but rather to do well in school. This was unlike her and could only be explained by her father's lack of permission to allow her attendance with a certain Mr. Malfoy to the formal if she were unable to lift her grades.

As a result, she worked very hard indeed, actually studied with Lucius (instead of doing other… things) and excelled in Transfiguration for the first time in her life.

Bella was acting a bit strange these days. A while ago, Narcissa had seen a new side to her for a few blissful, glorious days. But as suddenly as that hidden persona had come, it had gone. She'd suspected both the coming and going had something to do with one Rodolphus Lestrange, who was looking rather doleful too. Lucius, who was friends with Rodolphus, reported that he was still attending classes, although Bellatrix would say nothing to him. It didn't seem like she was angry with him, he said, but more like she was avoiding him. Maybe a topic of discomfort had arisen between them, thought Narcissa. Whatever the case, she sincerely hoped that her poor sister would recover in time for the formal. Life had been rather cruel to Bella, even though she would never tell Narcissa what the cruelty had been.

Nevertheless, when her father's assent to her request had arrived, nothing could quell her happiness. She scampered up the stairs to find her sister. "Bella! Bella! Look! Father's written back, he's said I can go with Lucius! Oh, isn't it wonderful?" Bella was sprawled on her bed, not as usual with her back on the bed and facing the ceiling. Today, she was curled face down on the sheets, dark hair (which, without Narcissa's usual nagging, was once again streaky with oil and neglect) obscuring her head.

"Go away," she muttered. Narcissa inched forwards and prodded her gingerly. "Bella? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

At this, Bella gave a guttural moan and flipped around. "Why is life so difficult, Cissy? Tell me, why is life so bloody difficult? It used to seem so simple and easy, but now every word's a trap, every look has a double entendre. I can't trust anyone! I can't even walk down the corridor without suspecting a ruse against me!" Narcissa sat down on the bed and pulled Bella's head onto her lap. "Is this about Rodolphus Lestrange?" Bella nodded. Narcissa absently stroked her sister's greasy hair. "What has he done now?"

"He asked me to the formal."

"What?" Narcissa sprang back up. "He asked you? What did you say?"

"Nothing, of course! I ran as fast as my legs could take me!"

"Why? Is he still so repulsive?"

"No, not so much repulsive…"

"Because personally I think he's a lot more charming these days. He's maybe not as charming as my Lucius, but Lestrange is really quite handsome. Not a bad match, Bella. And his blood is pure too."

"I know! I know that! But honestly, how can I trust him?"

"What's there not to trust?"

Bella sighed and closed her eyes. Then, she sat up. "Narcissa, you know how I kept telling you before that Evan was bad news?"

Narcissa scoffed. "Yes, he is such as ass. I'm sorry I didn't believe you now."

"Well, I was a lot more sorry."

"What?"

"I used to be like you: sweet, believing, popular, witty, happy. But something changed one summer. I met Evan Rosier. He was so smooth and gallant and terribly attractive. We went out for two weeks."

"You never told me this!" cried Narcissa.

"I know, and I'm sorry. Anyway, I thought I was in love with him and he in love with me too. We spent all the time we had in each other's company. It was bliss. I truly believed I was going to marry him."

"What happened?"

"On our two week anniversary, he told me it was time. I didn't know what he was talking about until I… until I gave him my virginity."

"You _what_?"

"Shh! It was a mistake, a bad mistake. I felt all broken afterwards and I told him I didn't want to again. Well, Evan got angry when I said that. He said he was going to marry me someday, so this shouldn't even matter. When I still refused, he broke up with me. He laughed at me and he abandoned me. Something awful happened that summer. I changed. I changed more completely than I could ever imagine. And that was the reason why I was so protective of you. You were like me. You could be hurt so easily."

Narcissa was silent.

"But Cissy, Lucius is a good man. He is so sweet and in love with you. Treat him well."

Narcissa still didn't speak. "Cissy?" Suddenly, she stood up and careened from the room leaving behind a startled Bellatrix. "Cissy!"

(o) - O - (o)

"Lucius!" A voice cried out to him. He barely had time to turn around when Narcissa dropped into his arms, eyes red with weeping. "Lucius! My sister… Merlin, I…" Quickly, he led her to a shady clearing under a tree and produced a handkerchief. "Here, blow." Dutifully, Narcissa blew into the handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "I don't know why I feel so angry, Lucius. I don't know why! Everything's so confusing. I hate Evan Rosier even more, now. I'm not angry at Bella, I'm not. But I'm angry at something. I'm not sure what. Oh, Merlin. To think, all this time…"

Lucius rubbed her shoulder and listened to her nonsensical ramblings. He pulled her close and kissed her hair and the pair stood motionless under the heat of the wind and with the cooing of the birds around them.

(o) - O - (o)

Bellatrix waited as the platform slowly stopped revolving and a clear hallway to a large door was revealed. She had been summoned by the Headmaster. It was strange, especially as she was a model student who possessed exemplary grades and behaviors. Nonetheless, she was here.

The door opened with effort as it was so heavy. Bella stepped forwards and nearly crashed into a low coffee table piled high with textbooks. The whole room was crammed with strange objects. "Ah, Miss Black! I see you have appeared!" Professor Dumbledore swept down the stairs and smiled at Bellatrix. She blinked back and gave a polite nod. "Now, to business. It has recently come to my attention that you do not interact with your second sister, Andromeda, is that correct?" Bellatrix nodded her head. "Well, that is rather unfortunate as that will make this all the more difficult to solve. Last night your sister, Andromeda Black, left Hogwarts."

Bellatrix stepped forwards. "I beg your pardon, Professor?"

"It seems that your sister eloped with a Theodore Tonks from Gryffindor. Do you recognize this name?" Numbly, Bellatrix shook her head and felt for a stool before collapsing into it. She felt sick, the ground was shifting underneath her. To think! Oh, Andy. Reliable Andy. How could she do this? This was a joke. Andromeda would never do something like this! Never! She looked at the Professor. "Is this true? Is it absolutely certain?" Gravely now, the Headmaster nodded slowly. "Your father has been contacted and he has sent word that he will be arriving sometime tonight. It is unfortunate that something like this should occur within the school and I extend my apologies."

Bellatrix tried to breathe, to find some footing in the situation. "Sir, I… I'd like to inform Narcissa."

"Of course. I excuse you and the youngest Miss Black from school today."

Miraculously, Bellatrix found her way out of that room before she was smothered. The walls were closing in on her and she stumbled forwards, trying desperately to recall which class Narcissa was attending currently. Then, she realised she had left all her books and her bag in her classroom. She turned a corner to fetch her possessions.

Professor Vervara was in the midst of a lengthy explanation when Bellatrix tumbled in. The class, previously dozing quietly, snapped to attention. Rodolphus swiveled around to look at her, a frown creeping onto his forehead. "Miss Black! How many times must you interrupt my class? For Merlin's sake, sit-".

But Bellatrix ignored Vervara. She groped for her belongings and stumbled back out the door. No sooner was she gone did Rodolphus rise from his own seat and chase after her. "Bella! Bella! Bellatrix Black!" She stopped and leant against the wall, sliding weakly to the floor. Rodolphus quickly ran up to her and knelt down. "Bella, what's wrong? You're pale and shivering. Do you need to go to the Infirmary?"

"Oh God, Oh God, Oh God," she sobbed, throwing herself onto Rodolphus, crying heavily onto his robes. He held her awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed. "Bella, I-"

"Narcissa!" she cried and sat up. She scrambled to her feet and wandered away. "Narcissa!"

The youngest Black was in the midst of a Transfiguration class. Professor MacGonagall didn't question Bellatrix further when she burst in, wide-eyed and trembling, to take Narcissa.

"Bella, you're scaring me! What's the matter?" Narcissa had never seen Bellatrix like this. Rodolphus hovered a few feet away, anxious to offer some relief but afraid to irk Bellatrix. "Narcissa, it's Andy. Oh, God, it's Andy!"

"Has something happened to her? Is she in danger?"

"She's run away! She's eloped with a filthy Gryffindor mudblood called Tonks! Oh, Andy! Oh, God, how could she do this? How could she do this to us, to Father?"

And the two sisters, joined by shock, held each other in their helpless sorrow, a tall boy standing unmoving behind them.

(o) - O - (o)

**AN: I wasn't going to end it so quickly, but this chapter's ending just felt right. I'm sorry I've been absent for quite some while. But, I discovered a life and hurriedly pursued it in favor of being holed up in my room with my imagination, typing away on my laptop. It's holidays now, so I've got some time. I had to reread my story to connect to it, it was that long ago. So, I'm sorry. Anyway, some developments: I've mapped out the rest of the story, so it should be finishing relatively soon. I haven't actually finished a story before, so it's quite exciting! Anyway, all you readers out there, here's another apology for the time it took for me to update and the short length of this chapter.**


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